Tocilizumab for Acute Chest Syndrome

In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded phase II study, enrolled patients admitted to the University of Chicago who are diagnosed with acute chest syndrome will receive one dose of tocilizumab 80 mg IV and one normal saline placebo dose. The order of these doses will be randomized at a 1:1 ratio. After collecting oxygenation data as a baseline for 8 hours, patients will then receive tocilizumab versus placebo as their early dose and then the opposite (placebo versus tocilizumab) 48 hours later. Clinical, laboratory, and patient-reported outcome data will be collected during their admission and compared between arms.