An expert panel has recommended expanded adoption of the drug hydroxyurea for the care of people with sickle cell disease, according to a report issued last month. The report also suggests that clinicians give periodic blood transfusions to children with the disease to reduce stroke risk. According to the panel, both treatments are underutilized.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, convened the panel to review the evidence and make recommendations relating to care available to those with this inherited blood disorder. The report, Evidence-Based Management of Sickle Cell Disease, Expert Panel Report, 2014, gathers the latest sickle cell prevention and treatment information into one document.

Along with those recommendations, the report emphasizes the need for consistent, high-quality health maintenance for people with sickle cell disease. Examples of health maintenance recommendations include the regular use of penicillin through age 5 to reduce the chance of deadly infections, and the importance of pneumococcal vaccines for children and adults.

More information: NIH announcement, Expert Panel Report