What effect does hydroxyurea have on stroke prevention in children with SCD?
A study of 291 children with SCD included clinical and imaging follow-up of 35 children with abnormal TCDs who were placed on transfusion therapy (median follow-up, 4.4 years). Of 13 patients with normalized velocities on transfusion, 10 had normal MRAs, and transfusion therapy was replaced with hydroxyurea. Of the 127 children with SCD enrolled in the Belgian Hydroxyurea SCD registry, 72 patients were evaluated by TCD. Of these 72, 34 were found at risk of stroke, and only 1 had a cerebrovascular event after a follow-up of 96 patient-years, suggesting a benefit of hydroxyurea in stroke prevention.