Dr Kofi Anie hopes to revolutionise the way sufferers manage their pain

A DOCTOR who suffers from sickle cell disease is launching a major new study which aims to revolutionise the way sufferers cope with their pain.

Dr Kofi Anie, a clinical psychologist at Central Middlesex Hospital in Acton Lane, Park Royal, plans to combine morphine with ibuprofen to create a pioneering new pain relief for the condition.

The genetic blood disease, which is prevalent among the Afro-Caribbean community, is characterised by misshapen red blood cells and can cause blood vessels to be blocked during extremely painful attacks known as ‘crises’ and dramatically reduces a person’s life expectancy.

Sufferers currently rely on morphine to ease their pain, but this can have significant side-effects, including mood swings, respiratory problems and hallucinations.

Dr Anie, who has lost siblings to sickle cell, said: “We hope our study will show that taking ibuprofen in addition to morphine reduces the use of opioids and related side effects for sickle cell pain treated in hospital, as well as potentially improving patients’ experience.”

Brent has one of the highest sickle cell rates in the UK, and around one in 300 babies are born with the condition.

Central Middlesex hospital is renowned as a centre of excellence for the treatment of the disorder.

This major research project has been in preparation for four years, and following initial trials the study is about to embark on its patient recruitment phase.