Clinical Research Directory

Oral Ketamine for Treatment of Vaso-Occlusive Pain

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the feasibility of oral ketamine for the treatment of painful sickle-cell crises in children and adolescents as a supplement to intravenous (IV) opioids. There is a need for improved non-opioid analgesia for patients experiencing sickle-cell crises in the hospital and prehospital setting, as children and adolescents with sickle cell disease who experience sickle-cell crises often have severe pain that is not well controlled by high dose opioids, leading to poor pain management and opioid-related side effects. The study will begin when patients are admitted to the Emergency Department of Boston Children's Hospital for treatment of a sickle-cell crisis. Oral ketamine will be administered every 8 hours for the next 48 hours. Patients will have continuous cardiorespiratory monitoring for the duration of the study, as per routine care, as well as monitoring by the hospital's Acute Pain Service at least twice daily for pain management and side effects of pain treatment. At the end of the 48-hour study duration, patients will discuss with the Pain Service and Hematology Service whether to continue oral ketamine, change to intravenous ketamine, or discontinue ketamine based on clinical indications such as level of pain and sedation while on opioids.

Outcomes of Vaso-occlusive Crisis in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease

This study aims to assess the incidence and clinical outcomes of vaso-occlusive crises in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease. Data will be collected and analyzed to identify risk factors and related complications.

Effect of Virtual Reality Technology for Pain Management of Vaso-Occlusive Crisis in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

Acute vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is the most common complication in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and pain related to VOC is often inadequately treated. This is a phase II randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of virtual reality technology when added to standard pain management for patients with sickle cell disease who are experiencing acute pain crisis in the ambulatory care setting. Patients will be randomized to receive either standard management only or standard management in addition to virtual reality therapy. The remainder of care for the painful event will continue per institutional standards according to clinical indication, including reassessment and documentation of pain and additional doses of pain medicines by intravenous (IV) or oral route. Pain scores and opioid requirement will be measured and compared across treatment arms, along with the outcomes of discharge from clinic versus admission to the inpatient unit. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) technology in reducing pain at 30 minutes after intervention during an acute vaso-occlusive crisis in patients with sickle cell disease. Primary endpoint will be change in pain scores in Standard versus VR arms, between the first pain assessment at the time of presentation and the subsequent pain assessments up to 30 minutes after intervention. Secondary Objectives: * To compare total opioid consumption from the time of presentation to the time of discharge from acute care setting in Standard versus VR arms. * To assess the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) technology in reducing pain at 60 minutes after the first IV medication administered or 60 minutes after completion VR during an acute vaso-occlusive crisis in patients with sickle cell disease.

Intranasal Sufentanil for Analgesia of Severe Sickle Cell Vaso-occlusive Pain Crisis in the Pediatric

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by an abnormal hemoglobin, the main protein in the red blood cell. From the first months of life, acute obstruction of the vessels of the microcirculation manifests as intense and unpredictable recurrent episodes of severe pain. In the Emergency Department (ED), patients presenting with a vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) required a rapid evaluation and administration of pain relief therapies and hydration. this strategy is based on an intranasal (IN) administration of Sufentanil at the initial management of children with VOC, followed by morphine intravenous (IV) relay as soon as possible, compared to the usual care procedure with IV morphine as soon as possible. The hypothesis is that the use of this IN opioid at the beginning of the management of children with VOC can reduce the time before being pain relieved. Indeed, the IN administration make it easier and faster to administer.

Study of Erythrocyte Parameters and Hypercoagulability in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD-TGA)

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited haemoglobinopathy disorder caused by mutations in HBB gene with amino-acid substitution on β globin chain. The consequence is synthesis of altered haemoglobin S (HbS) which polymerises in red blood cell (RBC) at deoxygenated state. SCD is associated with chronic haemolytic anaemia, vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) leading to frequent hospitalisation. The aim of the study was to to investigate whether a combination of routine laboratory biomarkers of haemolysis could be used to predict VOC development in confirmed SCD patients.