Pain is a common complication of sickle cell disease (SCD) that interferes with quality of life and is challenging to manage. According to clinical evidence, oxidative stress contributes to the complex pathophysiology of sickle cell disease. In this regard, a recent multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 3 study published in New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that the patients in the L-glutamine group had significantly fewer pain crises as compared to those in the placebo group (P=0.005). Moreover, fewer hospitalizations occurred in the L-glutamine group than in the placebo group (P=0.005).
The study enrolled 230 patients (age range, 5 to 58 years; 53.9% female). These patients were randomly assigned in 2:1 ratio, to receive L-glutamine (152 patients) or placebo (78 patients). The patients received L-glutamine orally in a dose of 0.3 gm/kg of body…
