The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7498 p462
19 April 2008

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Preventing sickle-cell complications

Experiments in mice suggest that an endothelin receptor antagonist could help prevent the life-threatening complications of sickle-cell disease (Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1 April 2008).

Bosentan was able to prevent vaso-occlusive crisis and organ damage induced by hypoxia and to reduce renal and pulmonary microvascular congestion, systemic inflammation and dense red blood cell formation.

If these results are replicated in clinical trials, bosentan could improve lung and renal integrity, quality of life and survival in sickle-cell patients, researchers say.