In this of review of HLA-identical sibling transplantation to treat sickle cell disease (SCD) in children, the authors assess the risk of mortality and compare published rates of survival in SCD patients treated and not treated by HCT. They report that overall survival was 91% and 95%, respectively, from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) (n=412) and European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) (n=487) registries. The authors note that the experience of HLA-identical sibling HCT in adults with SCD is limited, but appears similar to results in children. They conclude that current research demonstrates “broad support for the therapeutic value of HLA-identical sibling HCT for children with sickle cell disease and serve as the basis for a strong recommendation in favor of the option of HCT when a suitable donor is available.”
Walters MC, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant