Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41067936›Full record

ReviewTransfusion medicine (Oxford, England)2026

Tocilizumab provides a potential therapeutic option for the management of hyperhaemolysis syndrome in sickle cell disease: A case series and brief narrative overview of the literature.

S Wolf, B Singh, A Zaidi, P Greaves, F Oyesanya, S Bennett, B Kaya, F Barroso, P Telfer

Abstract readCase ReportsReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Transfusion medicine (Oxford, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

S WolfDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
B SinghDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.
A ZaidiDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.
P GreavesDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.
F OyesanyaDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
S BennettDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
B KayaDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
F BarrosoDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
P TelferDepartment of Clinical Haematology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesHyperhaemolysis syndrome is a life-threatening complication of transfusion, potentially triggered by macrophage activation, with limited treatment options. Tocilizumab, an anti-IL6 monoclonal antibody, has mechanistic rationale for use and has been shown to be effective in a small number of cases. In this paper, we review four cases of hyperhaemolysis treated with tocilizumab in the context of the existing literature. MATERIALS AND

methodsCases of use of tocilizumab in hyperhaemolysis were identified from two large specialist haemoglobinopathy centres between the period January 2021 and March 2025. Clinical and laboratory data were collected.

resultsFour cases of hyperhaemolysis treated with IVIG, steroids and tocilizumab were reported. In all cases, haemolysis responded rapidly to tocilizumab therapy. Two patients subsequently received RBC transfusions without haemolysis; two patients died from causes unrelated to haemolysis.

conclusionsThis case series supports the use of tocilizumab as a therapeutic option for rapid resolution of haemolysis. It is generally widely available and should be considered a suitable and cost-effective alternative to currently available options.

Indexed as

Anemia, Sickle CellAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedHemolysisAdultFemaleHumansMaleAntibodies, Monoclonal, Humanizedtocilizumabhyperhaemolysissickletocilizumab

Identifiers

PMID41067936
PMCPMC12882761

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