Key Findings
A recent study explored real-world experiences from a single-center case series of adults with sickle cell disease transitioned from full opioid agonists to buprenorphine for chronic pain management.
- Purpose – Examine how buprenorphine use for chronic pain fits into acute and long-term care for SCD patients.
- Population – Adults with SCD who had persistent pain and poor outcomes on traditional opioid regimens transitioned to buprenorphine.
- Headline Result – Patients in the case series showed fewer ED visits and reduced use of full opioid agonists after switching to buprenorphine.
- Why It Matters – Buprenorphine may represent an alternative for individuals who have failed traditional opioid therapy. It may be combined with full agonists during acute pain episodes, but this approach is based on limited evidence and requires individualized clinical judgment.
- Evidence Gaps – Findings come from case series data, not randomized trials.
Source: Journal of Sickle Cell Disease – Acute pain treatment in patients transitioned to buprenorphine: evidence of equivalent pain relief
Regulatory & Guideline Watch
The ASH 2020 guidelines update SCD pain management with evidence supporting interdisciplinary approaches and cautious chronic opioid use, highlighting buprenorphine as a safer alternative. The NIH 2014 guidelines emphasize opioid analgesics for individualized pain care but predate broad buprenorphine use. Both prioritize personalized, comprehensive care for SCD patients to optimize pain outcomes and reduce opioid-related risks.
American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Guidelines: https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/4/12/2656/460974/American-Society-of-Hematology-2020-guidelines-for
National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2014 Expert Panel Report: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/media/docs/sickle-cell-disease-report%20020816_0.pdf