Nitric Oxide Inhalation to Treat Sickle Cell Pain Crises

Exclusion Criteria

• •Subjects meeting any of the following criteria during baseline evaluation will be excluded from entry into the study:
• •Exposure to therapeutic nitric oxide within the past 12 hours.
• •Patient has received sildenafil or other phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, therapeutic L-arginine, nitroprusside or nitroglycerine within the past 12 hours.
• •Patient has received previous ED/EC or other appropriate unit treatment for a vaso-occlusive crisis less than 48 hours or hospitalization less than 14 days ago (patients transferred directly from another ED or clinic may be enrolled).
• •Patient has visited the ED/EC or other appropriate unit greater than 10 times in the past year having a vaso-occlusive crisis.
• •Patients presenting with clinically diagnosed bacterial infection (e.g., osteomyelitis, pneumonia, sepsis or meningitis).
• •Patients who are currently enrolled in any other investigational drug study except for hydroxyurea studies.
• •Pregnant women (urine HCG + )/ nursing mothers.
• •Patients who have received an exchange transfusion (not simple transfusion) in the last 30 days or are on a chronic simple or exchange transfusion program.
• •Suspected splenic sequestration.
• •Acute chest syndrome or pneumonia: Abnormal new pulmonary infiltrate (alveolar infiltration and not atelectasis) and one or more pulmonary signs and/or symptoms (fever, rales, wheezing, cough, shortness of breath, retractions).
• •Previous participation in this study.