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Outlook

In spite of the tremendous improvements in diagnosis, genetic counseling, neonatal screening, and medical care, the ever-increasing body of information may have falsely raised expectations for a specific cure. Progress on genetic manipulation, which has the potential to cure the disease, is slow.

Developments in long-term transfusion therapy have given promise in decreasing the severity of pain crises and the incidence of stroke;however,exposureto blood-borne diseases due to multiple transfusions is a risk.

Support and cure of infection arestill the mainstays of treatment.