effectiveness of using modified transcutaneous spinal electroanalgesia on patients with acute sickle cell painful episode

To evaluate the effectiveness of modified Transcutaneous Spinal Electroanalgesia [mTSE] on acute painful episode in sickle cell disease [SCD]. Prospective Non-Randomized Experimental Study. Pediatric and Medical Ward, Qatif Central Hospital, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A prospective study conducted between April to July 2004. It included all SCD patients admitted in pediatric and medical wards with moderate/severe acute pain involving lower back and/or lower limbs, not responding to the initial management over the first four hours of presentation. Modified Transcutaneous Spinal Electroanalgesia [mTSE] was used for 90 minutes. Data entry and analysis were done by Epi-Info software [Version 3.2.2]. One hundred seven patients were included in the study. Age ranged between 5 and 50 years. Males were 57 [53.27%]; 50 [51.10%] of the females were adults and 32 [56.14%] of the males were pediatrics. The mTSE had lowered the pain level to mild in 20 [38.46%] adults, compared to 32 [58.18%] children. Twenty-eight [49.12%] males showed improvement, compared to 28 [56%] females. Post-mTSE pain score was 3.6 +/- 2.5, compared to 7.5 +/- 2.1 pre-mTSE, [p-value<0.01]. The response to mTSE was more apparent in pediatrics [3.1 +/- 2.7] compared to adults [4.1 +/- 2.2], P-value=0.01. Pediatric male patients responded better to mTSE [2.8 +/- 2.6] compared to adult male patients [4.1 +/- 1.8], P-value=0.005. Our preliminary study reveals the efficacy of mTSE in controlling bony pain of acute painful episodes in SCD patients

Priapism in sickle cell disease in Qatif Central Hospital

Priapism is a common complication of sickle cell disease [SCD]. Its true frequency in Saudi patients is not known. We interviewed 174 male patients or parents of young SCD patients attending sickle cell clinics at our hospital, in an attempt to estimate the frequency of this complication. Of these patients 105 were children and 69 were adults. History of at least one episode of priapism was obtained from 32 patients [18.4%]. This is a much higher frequency than previously reported from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The previously reported low frequency may have been due to cultural factors or to overlooking the diagnosis at presentation