Sustainment of Hydroxyurea Adherence in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease - Summary - MDSpire

Sustainment of Hydroxyurea Adherence in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

  • By

  • Andrew M. Heitzer

  • Zachary Wooten

  • Guangjin Luo

  • Marsha Treadwell

  • Allison A. King

  • Victor R. Gordeuk

  • Nirmish Shah

  • Christina M. Abrams

  • Sarah McCuskee

  • Siera Gollan

  • Jennifer Longoria

  • Jane S. Hankins

  • Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium

  • May 6, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To assess changes in self-reported hydroxyurea use and adherence over four years and examine the influence of healthcare system, socioeconomic, and patient-related factors on these changes.

Key Findings:
  • Less than half of patients with HbSS/HbSb0-thalassemia use hydroxyurea, and among users, adherence is below 50%.
  • Adherence to hydroxyurea is associated with negative outcomes, including increased hospitalizations and lower health-related quality of life.
  • Younger adults (ages 18-24) may experience the greatest decline in adherence over time, which correlates with negative health outcomes.
Interpretation:

Hydroxyurea adherence is critically low among SCD patients, influenced by healthcare system, socioeconomic, and patient-related factors, necessitating targeted interventions such as education and support programs.

Limitations:
  • The study primarily focused on self-reported data, which may be subject to bias and affect the reliability of adherence measures.
  • Most adherence barriers studied were in pediatric populations, limiting generalizability to adults.
Conclusion:

Improving hydroxyurea adherence in SCD patients is essential for better health outcomes, highlighting the need for multifaceted interventions that address identified barriers.

Original Source(s)

Sustainment of Hydroxyurea Adherence in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

  • by Andrew M. Heitzer, Zachary Wooten, Guangjin Luo, Marsha Treadwell, Allison A. King, Victor R. Gordeuk, Nirmish Shah, Christina M. Abrams, Sarah McCuskee, Siera Gollan, Jennifer Longoria, Jane S. Hankins, Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium

  • May 6, 2026

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