[Effectiveness of treatment during osteoarticular pain crises in drepanocytosis; based on the example of pentoxifylline].

Many drugs have been used for prevention and treatment of vaso-occlusive attacks in sickle cell anemia. Pentoxifylline is one of the most recent. It increases deformability and filtrability of normal or sickled red cells. In this double-blind study it is compared with a placebo for treatment of 20 osteoarticular crisis during SS or SC sickle cell anemia in Mali. Pentoxifylline did not decrease intensity nor duration of crisis. On the other hand the clinical assessment used for testing drugs efficiency over pain seemed effective and reproducible.