Acupuncture for pain management in children with sickle cell disease

Laila A Mahmood; Sarah Reece-Stremtan; Risi Idiokitas; Brenda Martin; Stefanie Margulies; Steven J Hardy; James E Bost; Deepika S Darbari

doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102287

Acupuncture for pain management in children with sickle cell disease

Complement Ther Med. 2020 Mar:49:102287. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102287. Epub 2020 Jan 11.

Authors

Laila A Mahmood¹, Sarah Reece-Stremtan², Risi Idiokitas³, Brenda Martin⁴, Stefanie Margulies⁴, Steven J Hardy⁵, James E Bost⁶, Deepika S Darbari⁷

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Palliative Care Program, Children's National Medical Center, District of Columbia, Washington, United States; Division of Hematology, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Medical Center, District of Columbia, Washington, United States; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, District of Columbia, United States.
² Division of Anesthesiology, Pain, and Perioperative Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, District of Columbia, Washington, United States; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, District of Columbia, United States.
³ Pediatric Palliative Care Program, Children's National Medical Center, District of Columbia, Washington, United States.
⁴ Division of Hematology, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Medical Center, District of Columbia, Washington, United States.
⁵ Division of Hematology, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Medical Center, District of Columbia, Washington, United States; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, District of Columbia, United States.
⁶ Division of Biostatistics and Study Methodology, Children's National Medical Center; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, District of Columbia, United States.
⁷ Division of Hematology, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Medical Center, District of Columbia, Washington, United States; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, District of Columbia, United States. Electronic address: ddarbari@childrensnational.org.

PMID: 32147045
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102287

Abstract

Pain associated with sickle cell disease (SCD) is frequently treated with opioids which have many side effects. There is a need for adjuvant non-opioid therapies that can improve pain control. Acupuncture, an integrative approach, has been shown to be useful in non-SCD pain conditions but has been used to a very limited extent in SCD. In this report we present a single academic pediatric center experience showing acceptability, feasibility and improved pain experience with adjuvant acupuncture therapy in children with SCD and suggest that acupuncture should be explored as a treatment option for managing pain in SCD.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Opioids; Pain; Sickle cell disease.

MeSH terms

Acupuncture Therapy*
Adolescent
Adult
Anemia, Sickle Cell / therapy*
Female
Humans
Male
Pain Management / methods*
Pain Measurement
Retrospective Studies
Young Adult