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Ally M, Balandya E. Current challenges and new approaches to implementing optimal management of sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Semin Hematol 2023; 60:192-199. [PMID: 37730472 PMCID: PMC10909340 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminhematol.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common life-threatening monogenic disorder in the world. The disease is highly prevalent in malaria endemic areas with over 75% of patients residing in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is estimated that, without proper care, up to 90% of children with SCD will not celebrate their fifth birthday. Early identification and enrolment into comprehensive care has been shown to reduce the morbidity and mortality related with SCD complications. However, due to resource constraints, the SSA is yet to implement universal newborn screening programs for SCD. Furthermore, care for patients with SCD in the region is hampered by the shortage of qualified healthcare workers, lack of guidelines for the clinical management of SCD, limited infrastructure for inpatient and outpatient care, and limited access to blood and disease modifying drugs such as Hydroxyurea which contribute to poor clinical outcomes. Curative options such as bone marrow transplant and gene therapy are expensive and not available in many SSA countries. In addressing these challenges, various initiatives are ongoing in SSA which aim to enhance awareness on SCD, improve patient identification and retention to care, harmonize the standards of care for SCD, improve the skills of healthcare workers and conduct research on pertinent areas in SCD in the SSA context. Fortifying these measures is paramount to improving the outcomes of SCD in SSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mwashungi Ally
- Sickle Pan African Research Consortium, Tanzania site Sickle Cell Program Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Dar es Salaam Tanzania.
| | - Emmanuel Balandya
- Sickle Pan African Research Consortium, Tanzania site Sickle Cell Program Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Dar es Salaam Tanzania
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2
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Ghimire P, Ghimire PG. Spontaneous extradural hematoma in a Sickle cell Beta Thalassemia patient-A rare complication. Clin Case Rep 2023; 11:e6917. [PMID: 36762144 PMCID: PMC9896150 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.6917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous extradural hematoma in Sickle cell disease is rare neurological complication with few cases reported in the English literature. We report a case of a 16-year-old male patient who was previously diagnosed with Sickle Cell Beta Thalassemia and presented with severe headache and vomiting for 3 days. An emergency CT scan of the head demonstrated right-sided acute parietal extradural hematoma with mass effect. Patient underwent emergent craniotomy with evacuation of the hematoma. Patient recovered completely. Although calvarial infarction has been associated with extradural hematoma, an absence of it makes our case distinct. A high index of suspicion should be made in SCD patients for possibility of EDH in progressive headache.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasanna Ghimire
- Department of RadiologyNepalgunj Medical College and Teaching HospitalKohalpurNepal
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3
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Does TGFBR3 Polymorphism Increase the Risk of Silent Cerebral Infarction in Egyptian Children with Sickle Cell Disease? Indian J Pediatr 2023; 90:146-152. [PMID: 35781614 PMCID: PMC9842542 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-022-04181-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the relationship between TGFBR3 rs284875 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) state and silent cerebral infarction (SCI) in asymptomatic patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 children with SCD above 2 y of age followed up at the hematology outpatient clinic of Alexandria University Children's Hospital in Egypt. Twenty-four healthy children were included as a control group. All patients included in the study were subjected to complete history and clinical examination. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed on patients and controls for identification of SNP rs284875 of the TGFBR3 gene. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain were performed only on patients for detection of SCI. RESULTS Fifty SCD patients were enrolled (26 males and 24 females), with a median age of 10.9 y (2.3-17.8 y), and 24 children as healthy control for the studied SNP. Thirty-five (70%) patients had homozygous SCD, while 30% had sickle β-thalassemia. The brain MRI was normal in all the patients except for 2 patients who had features of SCI. The TGFBR3 rs284875 SNP was detected in 15 (30%) patients in the homozygous state (GG) versus only 1 (4.2%) child from the control group (p = 0.003). The prevalence of SCI was low in the study population and there was no statistically significant relationship between the TGFBR3 rs284875 SNP status and the presence of SCI in the brain MRI (p = 0.621). CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed a low prevalence of SCI in the SCD patient included in the study. The TGFBR3 rs284875 SNP did not significantly increase SCI among those patients.
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Jacob M, Kawadler JM, Murdoch R, Ahmed M, Tutuba H, Masamu U, Shmueli K, Saunders DE, Clark CA, Kim J, Hamdule S, Makani J, Stotesbury H, Kirkham FJ. Brain volume in Tanzanian children with sickle cell anaemia: A neuroimaging study. Br J Haematol 2022; 201:114-124. [PMID: 36329651 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Brain injury is a common complication of sickle cell anaemia (SCA). White matter (WM) and cortical and subcortical grey matter (GM), structures may have reduced volume in patients with SCA. This study focuses on whether silent cerebral infarction (SCI), vasculopathy or anaemia affects WM and regional GM volumes in children living in Africa. Children with SCA (n = 144; aged 5-20 years; 74 male) and sibling controls (n = 53; aged 5-17 years; 29 male) underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Effects of SCI (n = 37), vasculopathy (n = 15), and haemoglobin were assessed. Compared with controls, after adjusting for age, sex and intracranial volume, patients with SCA had smaller volumes for WM and cortical, subcortical and total GM, as well as bilateral cerebellar cortex, globus pallidus, amygdala and right thalamus. Left globus pallidus volume was further reduced in patients with vasculopathy. Putamen and hippocampus volumes were larger in patients with SCA without SCI or vasculopathy than in controls. Significant positive effects of haemoglobin on regional GM volumes were confined to the controls. Patients with SCA generally have reduced GM volumes compared with controls, although some subcortical regions may be spared. SCI and vasculopathy may affect the trajectory of change in subcortical GM and WM volume. Brain volume in non-SCA children may be vulnerable to contemporaneous anaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mboka Jacob
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Dar Es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Jamie M. Kawadler
- Developmental Neurosciences Section UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health London UK
| | - Russell Murdoch
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering UCL London UK
| | - Magda Ahmed
- Department of Radiology Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute Dar Es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Hilda Tutuba
- Muhimbili Sickle cell Program Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Dar Es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Upendo Masamu
- Muhimbili Sickle cell Program Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Dar Es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Karin Shmueli
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering UCL London UK
| | - Dawn E. Saunders
- Developmental Neurosciences Section UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health London UK
| | - Chris A. Clark
- Developmental Neurosciences Section UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health London UK
- Biomedical Research Centre Great Ormond Street hospital for Children London UK
| | - Jinna Kim
- Department of Radiology Yonsei University Seoul South Korea
| | - Shifa Hamdule
- Developmental Neurosciences Section UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health London UK
| | - Julie Makani
- Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Dar Es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Hanne Stotesbury
- Developmental Neurosciences Section UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health London UK
| | - Fenella J. Kirkham
- Developmental Neurosciences Section UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health London UK
- Biomedical Research Centre Great Ormond Street hospital for Children London UK
- Clinical Experimental Sciences University of Southampton Southampton UK
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Tutuba HJ, Jonathan A, Lloyd W, Luoga F, Marco E, Ndunguru J, Kidenya BR, Makani J, Ruggajo P, Minja IK, Balandya E. Prevalence of Hemoglobin-S and Baseline Level of Knowledge on Sickle Cell Disease Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. Front Genet 2022; 13:805709. [PMID: 35480324 PMCID: PMC9035883 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.805709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the single most important genetic cause of childhood mortality globally. Newborn screening (NBS) is the recommended intervention aimed at early identification of babies with SCD and their linkage to care. To ensure success of NBS, pregnant women need to have the required knowledge on SCD and therefore motivation to screen their babies. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hemoglobin-S and assess the baseline level of knowledge on SCD among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban settings in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2020 and February 2021, involving 600 pregnant women at 20-28 weeks of gestation attending antenatal clinics at Buguruni Health Center, Mbagala Hospital, and Sinza Hospital in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. We administered a structured questionnaire to all participants to assess socio-demographic characteristics and baseline level of knowledge on SCD, where those scoring 7 or higher out of 10 questions were considered to have good knowledge. We screened for SCD a total of 300 participants from two centers (Buguruni Health Center and Mbagala Hospital) by using Sickle SCAN point-of-care test (BioMedomics Inc., United States). We used SPSS version 23 to analyze the data. On determining the association between level of knowledge and socio-demographic factors, we used Pearson's Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression in ascertaining the strength of associations. Results: Of the 600 participants, the majority were of the age between 26 and 35 years (51%), with the parity of 1-3 children (55.8%) and secondary level of education (43%), while 56% were self-employed. Only 14.7% had good knowledge on SCD. The majority of the participants had ever heard of SCD (81.3%), most of them heard from the streets (42.4%), and only 2.4% heard from hospitals. Of all 600 study participants, only 2 (0.3%) knew their SCD status while 7.7% declared having a family history of SCD. A proficient level of knowledge on SCD is associated with a high level of education, occupation, and knowing personal status of SCD. Among 300 participants who were screened for SCD, 252 were Hb-AA (84%), 47 were Hb-AS (15.7%), and 1 (0.3%) was Hb-SS. Conclusion: Despite the high prevalence of hemoglobin-S among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban settings in Tanzania, there is a poor level of knowledge on SCD and personal knowledge of SCD status. Maternal screening and health education on SCD should be included as part of the comprehensive package for health promotion at antenatal clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilda J. Tutuba
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Sickle Cell Program, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Department of Physiology, MUHAS, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,*Correspondence: Hilda J. Tutuba,
| | - Agnes Jonathan
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Sickle Cell Program, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - William Lloyd
- Sickle Cell Program, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Fredrick Luoga
- Sickle Cell Program, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Emanuela Marco
- Sickle Cell Program, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Joyce Ndunguru
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Sickle Cell Program, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Benson R. Kidenya
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences- Bugando, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Julie Makani
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Sickle Cell Program, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Paschal Ruggajo
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Department of Internal Medicine, MUHAS, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Irene K. Minja
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Department of Restorative Dentistry, MUHAS, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Emmanuel Balandya
- Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania,Department of Physiology, MUHAS, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
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Idro R, Boehme AK, Kawooya M, Lubowa SK, Munube D, Bangirana P, Opoka R, Mupere E, Lignelli A, Kasirye P, Green NS, Minja FJ. Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Angiography in Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia in Uganda in a Cross-Sectional Sample. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2022; 31:106343. [PMID: 35158150 PMCID: PMC9004405 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2022.106343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) are highly susceptible to cerebrovascular injury. We performed brain magnetic resonance imaging and angiography (MRI-MRA) in Ugandan children with SCA to identify structural cerebrovascular abnormalities and examine their relationship to standardized clinical assessments. METHODS A sub-sample (n=81) was selected from a cross-sectional study of children attending SCA clinic, including 52 (64.2%) with and 29 (35.8%) without clinically detected abnormalities. Clinical evaluation included assessment for prior stroke, cognitive testing and cerebral arterial transcranial doppler (TCD) flow velocity. MRI-MRA scans were interpreted by at least two neuroradiologists. RESULTS Mean age was 6.5±2.7 years, with 39 (48.1%) female. Mean haemoglobin was 7.3±0.9 g/dl. Overall, 13 (16.0%) were malnourished. Infarcts and/or stenoses were detected in 55 (67.9%) participants, with stenoses primarily in the anterior circulation. Infarcts were seen in those with normal 17/29 (58.6%) or abnormal 34/52 (65.4%) clinical testing (p=0.181). Neither abnormal MRI nor MRA was associated with age, sex, haemoglobin, or malnutrition. Abnormal MRA was highly associated with infarcts (p<0.0001). Participants with abnormal imaging had two-fold higher proportion of stroke on exam and/or impaired cognition. Stroke on exam was strongly associated with an imaging abnormality after adjusting for age, sex, malnutrition, and haemoglobin (OR 11.8, 95%CI 1.87-74.2). CONCLUSION Over half of these SCA children had cerebrovascular infarcts and/or arterial stenoses. Cerebrovascular disease was frequently undetectable by clinical assessments. While rarely available in under-resourced settings, MRI-MRA brain imaging is an important tool for defining SCA cerebrovascular disease and for assessing impact of clinical intervention trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael Kawooya
- Radiology, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Ernest Cook Ultrasound Research and Education Institute (ECUREI) Mengo Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Samson K Lubowa
- Radiology, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | | | | | - Angela Lignelli
- Radiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Frank J Minja
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Lin Z, McIntyre T, Jiang D, Cannon A, Liu P, Tekes A, Casella JF, Slifer K, Lu H, Lance E. Brain Oxygen Extraction and Metabolism in Pediatric Patients With Sickle Cell Disease: Comparison of Four Calibration Models. Front Physiol 2022; 13:814979. [PMID: 35222083 PMCID: PMC8874251 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.814979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobinopathy with an increased risk of neurological complications. Due to anemia and other factors related to the underlying hemoglobinopathy, cerebral blood flow (CBF) increases as compensation; however, the nature of alterations in oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) in SCD remains controversial, largely attributed to the different calibration models. In addition, limited studies have been done to investigate oxygen metabolism in pediatric patients. Thus, this study used a non-invasive T2-based MR oximetry, T2-Relaxation-Under-Spin-Tagging (TRUST) MRI, to measure oxygen homeostasis in pediatric patients with SCD using four different calibration models and examined its relationship to hematological measures. It was found that, compared with controls, SCD patients showed an increased CBF, unchanged total oxygen delivery and increased venous blood T2. The results of OEF and CMRO2 were dependent on the calibration models used. When using sickle-specific, hemoglobin S (HbS) level-dependent calibration, there was a decreased OEF and CMRO2, while the bovine model showed an opposite result. OEF and CMRO2 were also associated with hemoglobin and HbS level; the direction of the relationship was again dependent on the model. Future studies with in vivo calibration are needed to provide more accurate information on the T2-Yv relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixuan Lin
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Tiffany McIntyre
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Dengrong Jiang
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Alicia Cannon
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Peiying Liu
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Aylin Tekes
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - James F. Casella
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Keith Slifer
- Department of Behavioral Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Hanzhang Lu
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Eboni Lance
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Eboni Lance,
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Kirkham FJ, Lagunju IA. Epidemiology of Stroke in Sickle Cell Disease. J Clin Med 2021; 10:4232. [PMID: 34575342 PMCID: PMC8469588 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10184232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease is the most common cause of stroke in childhood, both ischaemic and haemorrhagic, and it also affects adults with the condition. Without any screening or preventative treatment, the incidence appears to fall within the range 0.5 to 0.9 per 100 patient years of observation. Newborn screening with Penicillin prophylaxis and vaccination leading to reduced bacterial infection may have reduced the incidence, alongside increasing hydroxyurea prescription. Transcranial Doppler screening and prophylactic chronic transfusion for at least an initial year has reduced the incidence of stroke by up to 10-fold in children with time averaged mean of the maximum velocity >200 cm/s. Hydroxyurea also appears to reduce the incidence of first stroke to a similar extent in the same group but the optimal dose remains controversial. The prevention of haemorrhagic stroke at all ages and ischaemic stroke in adults has not yet received the same degree of attention. Although there are fewer studies, silent cerebral infarction on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other neurological conditions, including headache, epilepsy and cognitive dysfunction, are also more prevalent in sickle cell disease compared with age matched controls. Clinical, neuropsychological and quantitative MRI screening may prove useful for understanding epidemiology and aetiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenella Jane Kirkham
- Developmental Neurosciences, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
- Child Health, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
- Paediatric Neurosciences, King’s College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Ikeoluwa A. Lagunju
- Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan PMB 3017, Nigeria;
- Department of Paediatrics, University College Hospital, Ibadan PMB 5116, Nigeria
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Champlin G, Hwang SN, Heitzer A, Ding J, Jacola L, Estepp JH, Wang W, Ataga KI, Owens CL, Newman J, King AA, Davis R, Kang G, Hankins JS. Progression of central nervous system disease from pediatric to young adulthood in sickle cell anemia. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2473-2479. [PMID: 34407676 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211035778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Silent cerebral infarcts and arteriopathy are common and progressive in individuals with sickle cell anemia. However, most data describing brain lesions in sickle cell anemia are cross-sectional or derive from pediatric cohorts with short follow-up. We investigated the progression of silent cerebral infarct and cerebral vessel stenosis on brain MRI and MRA, respectively, by describing the incidence of new or worsening lesions over a period of up to 25 years among young adults with sickle cell anemia and explored risk factors for progression. Forty-four adults with sickle cell anemia (HbSS or HbSβ0thalassemia), exposed to chronic transfusions (n = 12) or hydroxyurea (n = 32), median age 19.2 years (range 18.0-31.5), received a screening brain MRI/MRA and their results were compared with a clinical exam performed during childhood and adolescence. We used exact log-rank test to compare MRI and MRA progression among any two groups. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated from Cox regression analyses. Progression of MRI and MRA occurred in 12 (27%) and 4 (9%) young adults, respectively, relative to their pediatric exams. MRI progression risk was high among participants with abnormal pediatric exams (HR: 11.6, 95% CI: 2.5-54.7) and conditional or abnormal transcranial Doppler ultrasound velocities (HR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.0-15.1). Among individuals treated with hydroxyurea, high fetal hemoglobin measured in childhood was associated with lower hazard of MRI progression (HR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.76-0.98). MRA progression occurred more frequently among those with prior stroke (HR: 8.6, 95% CI: 1.2-64), abnormal pediatric exam (P = 0.00084), and elevated transcranial Doppler ultrasound velocities (P = 0.004). Brain MRI/MRA imaging in pediatrics can identify high-risk patients for CNS disease progression in young adulthood, prompting consideration for early aggressive treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Champlin
- Department of Clinical Education and Training, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Scott N Hwang
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Andrew Heitzer
- Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Juan Ding
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Lisa Jacola
- Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jeremie H Estepp
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.,Global Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Winfred Wang
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kenneth I Ataga
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.,Methodist University Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Memphis, TN 38104, USA
| | - Curtis L Owens
- Methodist University Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Memphis, TN 38104, USA
| | - Justin Newman
- Memphis Radiological Professional Corporation, Memphis, TN 38138, USA
| | - Allison A King
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Robert Davis
- Center in Biomedical Informatics at UTHSC, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Guolian Kang
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jane S Hankins
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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10
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Ojewunmi OO, Adeyemo TA, Oyetunji AI, Benn Y, Ekpo MG, Iwalokun BA. Association of alpha-thalassemia and Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in Nigerian children with sickle cell anemia. J Clin Lab Anal 2021; 35:e23802. [PMID: 33938598 PMCID: PMC8183942 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.23802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stroke is a devastating complication of sickle cell anemia (SCA) and can be predicted through abnormally high cerebral blood flow velocity using transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography (TCD). The evidence on the role of alpha‐thalassemia and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in the development of stroke in children with SCA is conflicting. Thus, this study investigated the association of alpha‐thalassemia and G6PD(A−) variant with abnormal TCD velocities among Nigerian children with SCA. Methods One hundred and forty‐one children with SCA were recruited: 72 children presented with normal TCD (defined as the time‐averaged mean of the maximum velocity: < 170 cm/s) and 69 children with abnormal TCD (TAMMV ≥ 200 cm/s). Alpha‐thalassemia (the α‐3.7 globin gene deletion) was determined by multiplex gap‐PCR, while G6PD polymorphisms (202G > A and 376A > G) were genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism—polymerase chain reaction. Results The frequency of α‐thalassemia trait in the children with normal TCD was higher than those with abnormal TCD: 38/72 (52.8%) [α‐/ α α: 41.7%, α ‐/ α ‐: 11.1%] versus 21/69 (30.4%) [α‐/ α α: 27.5%, α ‐/ α ‐: 2.9%], and the odds of abnormal TCD were reduced in the presence of the α‐thalassemia trait [Odds Ratio: 0.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.20–0.78, p = 0.007]. However, the frequencies of G6PDA− variant in children with abnormal and normal TCD were similar (11.6% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.522). Conclusion Our study reveals the protective role of α‐thalassemia against the risk of abnormal TCD in Nigerian children with SCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyesola Oyewole Ojewunmi
- Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria.,School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Titilope Adenike Adeyemo
- Department of Haematology & Blood Transfusion, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Yewande Benn
- Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Bamidele Abiodun Iwalokun
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
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Stotesbury H, Kawadler JM, Saunders DE, Kirkham FJ. MRI detection of brain abnormality in sickle cell disease. Expert Rev Hematol 2021; 14:473-491. [PMID: 33612034 PMCID: PMC8315209 DOI: 10.1080/17474086.2021.1893687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Over the past decades, neuroimaging studies have clarified that a significant proportion of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) have functionally significant brain abnormalities. Clinically, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences (T2, FLAIR, diffusion-weighted imaging) have been used by radiologists to diagnose chronic and acute cerebral infarction (both overt and clinically silent), while magnetic resonance angiography and venography have been used to diagnose arteriopathy and venous thrombosis. In research settings, imaging scientists are increasingly applying quantitative techniques to shine further light on underlying mechanisms.Areas covered: From a June 2020 PubMed search of 'magnetic' or 'MRI' and 'sickle' over the previous 5 years, we selected manuscripts on T1-based morphometric analysis, diffusion tensor imaging, arterial spin labeling, T2-oximetry, quantitative susceptibility, and connectivity.Expert Opinion: Quantitative MRI techniques are identifying structural and hemodynamic biomarkers associated with risk of neurological and neurocognitive complications. A growing body of evidence suggests that these biomarkers are sensitive to change with treatments, such as blood transfusion and hydroxyurea, indicating that they may hold promise as endpoints in future randomized clinical trials of novel approaches including hemoglobin F upregulation, reduction of polymerization, and gene therapy. With further validation, such techniques may eventually also improve neurological and neurocognitive risk stratification in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Stotesbury
- Developmental Neurosciences Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Jamie Michelle Kawadler
- Developmental Neurosciences Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Dawn Elizabeth Saunders
- Developmental Neurosciences Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Fenella Jane Kirkham
- Developmental Neurosciences Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
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