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Paintsil V, Ally M, Isa H, Anie KA, Mgaya J, Nkanyemka M, Nembaware V, Oppong-Mensah YG, Ndobho F, Chirande L, Makubi A, Nnodu O, Wonkam A, Makani J, Ohene-Frempong K. Development of multi-level standards of care recommendations for sickle cell disease: Experience from SickleInAfrica. Front Genet 2023; 13:1052179. [PMID: 36712852 PMCID: PMC9877224 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1052179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) causes significant morbidity and mortality particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where it contributes to early childhood deaths. There is need to standardize treatment guidelines to help improve overall SCD patient health outcomes. We set out to review existing guidelines on SCD and to set minimum standards for management of SCD for the different referral levels of healthcare. Methods: A standards of care working group (SoC-WG) was established to develop the SoC recommendations. About 15 available SCD management guidelines and protocols were reviewed and themes extracted from them. The first draft was on chosen themes with 64 major headings and subtopics. Using a summarised WHO levels of referral document, we were able to get six different referral levels of healthcare. The highest referral level was the tertiary facilities whilst the lowest level was the home setting. Recommendations for SCD management for the regional, district, sub-districts, health posts and CHPs compounds were also drafted. Results: The results from this review yielded a guidelines document which had recommendations for management of SCD on 64 topics and subtopic for all the six (6) different referral levels. Discussions: Every child with SCD need to receive comprehensive care that is coordinated at each level. This recommendation is unique in terms of the availability of recommendations for different levels of care as compared to the traditional guidelines which is more focused at the tertiary levels. Patients can access care at any of the other lower referral hospitals and be managed with recommendations that are in keeping with institutional resources at that level. When such patients need care that requires expertise that is not available at that level, the recommendations will be to refer to the appropriate referral level where those expertise are available. This encourages patients to have good clinical care nearer their homes but also having access to specialist screening modalities and expertise at the tertiary hospitals if need be. With this, patient are not limited to a specific referral level when interventions cannot be instituted for them. Conclusion: This SoC recommendations document is a useful material that can be used for consistent standards of treatment in SSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Paintsil
- Department of Child Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana,Directorate of Child Health, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana,*Correspondence: Vivian Paintsil,
| | - Mwashungi Ally
- Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Hezekiah Isa
- Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training (CESRTA), University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Kofi A. Anie
- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Imperial College London, London, England
| | - Josephine Mgaya
- Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Malula Nkanyemka
- Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Victoria Nembaware
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Flora Ndobho
- Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lulu Chirande
- Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Abel Makubi
- Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Obiageli Nnodu
- Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training (CESRTA), University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Ambroise Wonkam
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Julie Makani
- Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Paintsil V, Amuzu EX, Nyanor I, Asafo-Adjei E, Mohammed AR, Yawnumah SA, Oppong-Mensah YG, Nguah SB, Obeng P, Dogbe EE, Jonas M, Nembaware V, Mazandu G, Ohene-Frempong K, Wonkam A, Makani J, Ansong D, Osei-Akoto A. Establishing a Sickle Cell Disease Registry in Africa: Experience From the Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium, Kumasi-Ghana. Front Genet 2022; 13:802355. [PMID: 35281803 PMCID: PMC8908904 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.802355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common clinically significant hemoglobinopathy, characterized by painful episodes, anemia, high risk of infection, and other acute and chronic complications. In Africa, where the disease is most prevalent, large longitudinal data on patients and their outcomes are lacking. This article describes the experiences of the Kumasi Center for SCD at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KCSCD-KATH), a Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO) site and a SickleInAfrica Consortium member, in establishing a SCD registry for the evaluation of the outcomes of patients. It also provides a report of a preliminary analysis of the data. The process of developing the registry database involved comprehensive review of the center's SCD patient medical records, incorporating data elements developed by the SickleInAfrica Consortium and obtaining ethical clearance from the local Institutional Review Board. From December 2017 to March 2020, 3,148 SCD patients were enrolled into the SCD registry. Enrollment was during the SCD outpatient clinic visits or through home visits. A significant proportion of the patients was from the newborn screening cohort (50.3%) and was males (52.9%). SCD-SS, SCD-SC, and Sβ +thalassemia were seen in 67.2, 32.5, and 0.3% patients, respectively. The majority of the patients were in a steady state at enrollment; however, some were enrolled after discharge for an acute illness admission. The top two clinical diagnoses for SCD-SS patients were sickle cell painful events and acute anemia secondary to hyperhemolysis with incidence rates of 141.86 per 10,000 person months of observation (PMO) and 32.74 per 10,000 PMO, respectively. In SCD-SC patients, the top two diagnoses were sickle cell painful events and avascular necrosis with incidence rates of 203.09 per 10,000 PMO and 21.19 per 10,000 PMO, respectively. The SPARCO Kumasi site has developed skills and infrastructure to design, manage, and analyze data in the SCD registry. The newborn screening program and alternative recruitment methods such as radio announcement and home visits for defaulting patients were the key steps taken in enrolling patients into the registry. The registry will provide longitudinal data that will help improve knowledge of SCD in Ghana and Africa through research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Paintsil
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.,Department of Child Health-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Evans Xorse Amuzu
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Isaac Nyanor
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | | | | | - Samuel Blay Nguah
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.,Department of Child Health-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Paul Obeng
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.,Department of Child Health-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Elliot Eli Dogbe
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Mario Jonas
- Department of Pathology, Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Victoria Nembaware
- Department of Pathology, Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gaston Mazandu
- Department of Pathology, Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Ambroise Wonkam
- Department of Pathology, Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Julie Makani
- SPARCo, Sickle Cell Programme, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar Es Salam, Tanzania
| | - Daniel Ansong
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.,Department of Child Health-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Alex Osei-Akoto
- Directorate of Child Health-Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.,Department of Child Health-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kumasi, Ghana
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