Reducing transfusion utilization for children with sickle cell anemia in sub‐Saharan Africa with hydroxyurea: Analysis from the phase I/II REACH trial

Abstract Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) in Africa frequently require transfusions for SCA complications. Despite limited blood supplies, strategies to reduce their transfusion needs have not been widely evaluated or implemented. We analyzed transfusion utilization in children with SCA before and during hydroxyurea treatment. REACH (Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea, NCT01966731) is a longitudinal Phase I/II trial of hydroxyurea in children with SCA from Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Uganda. After enrollment, children had a two‐month pre‐treatment screening period followed by 6 months of fixed‐dose hydroxyurea (15–20 mg/kg/day), 18 months of dose escalation, and then stable dosing at maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Characteristics associated with transfusions were analyzed with univariate and multivariable models. Transfusion incidence rate ratios (IRR) across treatment periods were calculated. Among 635 enrolled children with 4124 person‐years of observation, 258 participants (40.4%) received 545 transfusions. The transfusion rate per 100 person‐years was 43.2 before hydroxyurea, 21.7 on fixed‐dose, 14.5 during dose escalation, and 10.8 on MTD. During MTD, transfusion incidence was reduced by 75% compared to pre‐treatment (IRR 0.25, 95% confidence interval CI 0.18–0.35, p < .0001), and by 50% compared to fixed dose (IRR 0.50, 95% CI 0.39–0.63, p < .0001). Hydroxyurea at MTD decreases transfusion utilization in African children with SCA. If widely implemented, universal testing and hydroxyurea treatment at MTD could potentially prevent 21% of all pediatric transfusions administered in sub‐Saharan Africa. Increasing hydroxyurea access for SCA should decrease the transfusion burden and increase the overall blood supply.