[Priapism in sickle cell anaemia in Senegal: prevalence, attitudes and knowledge]

We interviewed 108 sickle cell anaemia patients aged 5 years older on priapism, and 113 healthy subjects in a control group. They were recruited in the out-patient consultation of the two sickle cell anemia care units of the Fann teaching hospital in Dakar. Ten cases of priapism were identified, all in the group of sickle cell patients (the difference is significant, p = 0.004). Prevalence of priapism was 9.3%. Actuarial probability of having priapism was 8.3% by 10 years of age, and 38.9% +/- 5.7 by 20 years of age. Before the interview, only 10.2% of the sickle cell patients and 8% in the control group knew about priapism, and most of them were unaware of its association with sickle cell disease (75% of sickle cell anaemia patients and 80% of control subjects). This lack of information should be improved by an educational program.

[Stuttering priapism in children with sickle cell anemia in Togo]

AIM

To describe clinical aspects and outcome of stuttering priapism (SP) in children with sickle cell anemia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We included the 8 children with sickle cell anemia suffering from SP between 1996 and 2004.

RESULTS

Age at onset of SP ranged from 5 to 14 years (mean 9.75+/-3.69 years). SP attacks occurred once a day for 6 patients, and 2 and 3 times by week for the others. It happened during deep sleep, especially in the night (all patients) and sometimes in the day (4 patients). The duration of attacks ranged from 10 min to 2 h in 6 patients and 4 to 5 h in 2 patients. Oral étilefrine was administered to all patients until the cessation of attacks, and continued during 1 month. A long remission was obtained in all patients after 7 days to 7 months treatment (follow-up 2 to 7 years) in spite of 1 or many relapses.