system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A 2-year-old girl is brought to the emergency department because of bilateral hand pain and swelling. Her parents say the pain began 1 week ago and has gotten progressively worse. Two weeks ago, the patient had a low-grade fever and lace-like rash on her arms and trunk for several days. The patient appears to be in distress. Her temperature is 38.5°C (101.4°F), pulse is 130/min, and respirations are 25/min. The dorsum of her hands and fingers are erythematous, swollen, warm, and tender to palpation. Her hemoglobin concentration is 9.1 g/dL and leukocyte count is 8,000/mm3. A peripheral blood smear is shown. Which of the following interventions is most appropriate to prevent a recurrence of this patient's symptoms?
assistant
Hydroxyurea