Results
Patient characteristics: There were 66 males and 50 females. Most of the patients were HbSS (96.5%), 3 were HbSβ0thal (2.6%) and 1HbSC (0.9%). The median age at initiation of HU was 9.5 years. Average duration of HU therapy was 18 months (range 12 months- 33months) with an average HU dose of 18.5 mg/kg/day (range of 10 mg-32mg/kg/day). Only 1 patient with persistent pain received HU dose at 32 mg/kg/day and 3 patients with stroke received 25 mg/kg/day.
Patient retention: 116 patients were offered HU from January 2017 to September 2019. Eighteen patients (15.6%) dropped out within 12 months for: lack of funds (50%), family issues (22%), drug not working (16.7%), bleeding gums (5.6%), splenic sequestration (5.6%). Seventeen other patients (14.7%) stopped because of family logistics and lack of funds but resumed therapy after counselling. Three patients (2.6%) relocated to other states and another three had missing baseline data. Only patients who had baseline laboratory data and who had used hydroxyurea for at least 6 months were used for statistical analysis (N= 89). Patients who had missing data at various stages of the analysis were analyzed for their available data. Questionnaire was administered to 114 families (66 Males, 48 Females) including those who stopped hydroxyurea. Two patients who relocated could not be reached. Response rate was 100%.