Can heterogeneity of chronic sickle-cell disease pain be explained by genomics?
This literature review explores the potential of genomics to explain, or at least contribute to the discussion about, heterogeneity in chronic pain in sickle-cell disease (SCD). BACKGROUND: Adults with SCD, a single-gene disorder, are living longer than in years past, yet report being burdened by chronic pain. With only a few studies on chronic pain in this population, the epidemiology is unclear. However, research in the area of pain genetics continues to advance since the conclusion of the Human Genome Project. Two pain susceptibility genes, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and cytochrome P450, have, to date, been discovered that can increase individual susceptibility to the development of chronic pain. METHOD: A search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCO using the terms “sickle cell,” “chronic pain,” “polymorphism,” “genetics,” “pain genetics,” “human,” “adult,” “association studies,” and “pain susceptibility genes” to search for articles published between 1970 an
