Asthma increases pain in sickle cell disease

Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, studied data on 291 African American children with sickle cell disease. They wanted to look at the relationship between asthma and pain and respiratory complications (acute chest syndrome) in sickle cell disease. They found that 17% of the children in the study had asthma, which was associated with significantly more frequent acute chest syndrome and pain episodes than those children in the study who didn't have asthma. Identifying children with sickle cell disease who also have asthma may help reduce or prevent respiratory complications. Further research is needed to see if this holds true for adults as well. The research was published in the November 1, 2006, issue of Blood.