Sickle Cell Anemia: An Overview of the Neglected Blood Disorder

Background: Sickle cell anemia or drepanocytosis is a hereditary blood disorder characterized by an abnormality in the oxygen carrying hemoglobin molecule in red blood cells caused by an abnormal and rigid sickle like shape of the cell.

Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical profile and laboratory data of the patients admitted in the hospital and the outcome during their stay.

Material and methods: This is a retrospective study of 27 cases admitted in Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur from April 14 to March 15. The data included clinical presentations, hematological profile, age distribution, treatment, re-admission and the final outcome.

Results: Out of the total 27 patients admitted male to female ratio was 1:1.7 with maximum admissions in 20-30 years age group. The clinical features in order of frequency were abdominal pain (33.33%), fever (25.92%), chest pain (18.51%), weakness (14.81%) and 11.11% each with joint pain and dyspnoea. Most of the patients had hemoglobin level ranging between 4-6 gm/dl on admission. Re-admission reported in order of frequency were 37.04% patients with 2-5 admissions, 14.81% patients with more than 5 admissions and only 2 patients (7.41%) had single admissions in the financial year 2014-2015. Conclusion: Pain was the most common clinical symptom seen in patients with sickle cell anemia followed by fever and weakness which resulted in repeated admissions besides blood transfusions for correction of anemia.

Author(s): Abha Singh, Vasu Babu Goli, Bijaya Mohanty, Ashok Sunder

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