MAGiC: VOC remains but kids with SCA appear.

In this issue of Blood, Brousseau et al report results from the Magnesium for Children in Crisis (MAGiC; #NCT01197417) trial. This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial compared the effects of intravenous magnesium to saline in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) admitted to the hospital for acute vaso-occlusive pain (VOC). Although magnesium was found to be ineffective, MAGiC illustrates an effective strategy for rapid and efficient patient accrual in pediatric SCA studies.