SWIMAn Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Ibuprofen and Opioid (Morphine or Diamorphine) for Acute Pain in Sickle Cell Disease: a Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Randomised Trial

Pain from vaso-occlusion in sickle cell disease (SCD) is persistent, and its management continues to pose a challenge to practitioners. Opioids are recommended for the treatment of severe acute SCD pain, and have been used successfully within the hospital setting. Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are recommended for acute SCD pain, however there is no clear evidence for the effectiveness of oral NSAIDs in combination with parenteral opioids in adults with SCD.Data from acute pain research suggests that oral ibuprofen is one of the best NSAIDs for combination treatment with morphine via PCA. This is a randomised controlled trail to evaluate the effectiveness of oral ibuprofen plus intravenous Diamorphine or morphine via PCA. The results will provide the evidence needed to recommend whether or not ibuprofen should be used in acute SCD pain.