Sickle cell crisis: oxygen had no clear effect in non-hypoxic patients.

Clinical bottom line (level 1b-)

  1. Patients with sickle cell disease who were having a vaso-occlusive crisis, were not hypoxic and were given oxygen, had no clear difference in erythropoietin, percentage reticulocytes, haemoglobin levels or length of stay or crisis than those given room air alone.
Khoury and Grimsley: Blood 1995; 86: 3998-3998
Expires February 2004

The study

Unblinded ?concealed randomised trial with intention-to-treat
Setting: medical centre, USA

8 patients (aged ?, ?% male) sickle cell disease having a vaso-occlusive crisis

Excluded if
  • hypoxic (diagnosed by arterial blood gas, then by pulse oximetry)
  • renal, liver or chronic lung disease


    • Control Group: (n = 4, 4 analysed): room air
    Experimental Group: (n = 4, 4 analysed): 2 L/min of oxygen by nasal prongs for 12 hours

    100% followed for 72 hours

    The evidence

  • There was no significant differences in erythropoietin level, percentage of reticulocytes or haemoglobin levels.
  • There was no difference in length of hospital stay or length of crisis.

    • Comments

    1. The study was too small to comment on.
    2. No numerical data was given.

    Citation

    1. Khoury H, and Grimsley E: Oxygen inhalation in non hypoxic sickle cell patients during vaso-occlusive crisis. Blood 1995; 86: 3998-3998
    Contributor: Chris Ball and Clare Wotton, February 2000
    Reviewer:

    Clinical Question.
    Patient sickle cell disease
    Intervention or Exposure oxygen
    Comparison room air
    Outcome differences in blood chemistry