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EFFECT OF HYDROXYUREA ON PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA

AZZA SAJID JABBAR 1*, MOHAMMED AL FARTTOSI 2, ABEER JAFAR MOHAMMED 3

1 Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Basrah, Iraq
2 College of Medicine, University of Basrah, Iraq
3 Clinical pharmacist at Ibn Ghazwan Maternity and Children General Hospital, Basrah, Iraq

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It was established that hydroxyurea has numerous advantages for patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA), including a decrease in different complications of this serious disease, such as acute chest syndrome. This study was conducted to reveal the effect of hydroxyurea on pulmonary function tests, as a primary point, and on haematological values, as a secondary point, in patients with SCA. This was a cross-sectional study carried out in Iraq, in which 208 participants were recruited and categorised into three groups: Group 1 included 74 healthy adults; group 2 included 64 SCA patients who didn’t take hydroxyurea; and group 3 included 70 SCA patients on hydroxyurea. Measurement of pulmonary function tests and haematological values was performed for all groups. Pulmonary function tests revealed significant variations between group 1 and each of groups 2 and 3, while they showed no significant variation between groups 2 and 3. On the other hand, haematological values revealed significant variations (p<0.05) when comparing the two groups. Hydroxyurea has contributed to improving the haematological profile of CSA patients, but it has not been proven to have any positive effect on the pulmonary function tests, despite what was previously published to be effective in reducing the respiratory complications caused by sickle cell anaemia.