Timely Opioid Administration Cuts Hospitalizations for Pediatric Sickle Cell Crises

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 10, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Providing timely pain relief may reduce chances of hospitalization for children presenting to the emergency department with a sickle cell crisis, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Ibrahim Gwarzo, Dr.P.H., M.B.B.S., from Nemours Children’s Health in Wilmington, Delaware, and colleagues examined whether timely administration of opioids (within 60 minutes) in the emergency department is associated with hospitalization for sickle cell disease (SCD) pain. The analysis included 2,538 children (younger than 19 years) seen at 12 children’s hospitals with comprehensive SCD centers (9,233 emergency visits from 2019 through 2021).

The researchers found that first-dose timeliness of opioid administration evaluated alone was associated with decreased hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR], 0.84). For the 7,853 visits (85.1 percent) with two or more opioid doses, first-opioid timeliness was associated with reduced odds of hospitalization, even when the second dose was outside 30 minutes (OR, 0.85) or 45 minutes (OR, 0.84). The lowest odds of hospitalization were seen for first-dose timeliness combined with a second dose within 30-minute (OR, 0.62), 45-minute (OR, 0.70), and 60-minute (OR, 0.78) intervals.

“We demonstrated in our research that ensuring pain relief and providing comfort to patients prevents complications that could arise from prolonged pain and stress, and reduces the likelihood of hospitalization,” Gwarzo said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text