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Published on: June 22, 2012
[Cerebrovascular disease in children with sickle cell anaemia]
J Carrizosa1, J E Lopera, W Cornejo
1Servicio de Neuropediatría, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia. anabot@epm.net.co
Insights
Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is a serious complication in children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA). This study found a 3.81% incidence of CVD in SCA patients, often presenting as seizures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Neurology
- Vascular Medicine
Context:
- Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) poses significant risks for children.
- Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is a devastating complication in pediatric SCA.
- CVD contributes to mortality in children with SCA.
Purpose:
- Determine the incidence of CVD in children with SCA.
- Characterize risk factors for CVD in this population.
- Describe clinical and imaging aspects of CVD in pediatric SCA.
Summary:
- A retrospective study analyzed 131 children with SCA from 1992-2002.
- Five children (3.81%) experienced CVD events, primarily ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery.
- Seizures were the most common clinical presentation; lower hemoglobin was linked to ischemic CVD.
Impact:
- Highlights the prevalence and presentation of CVD in pediatric SCA.
- Informs clinical management and risk stratification for CVD in SCA.
- Underscores the high rate of neurological sequelae associated with CVD in SCA patients.
Introduction:
Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most clinically devastating complications in children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and an important cause of death in this population.
Aims:
To determine the incidence of CVD in children with SCA and to characterise the risk factors and other related clinical and imaging aspects.
Patients And Methods:
We conducted a retrospective, cross sectional, descriptive study of paediatric patients with SCA and CVD that covered the period between January 1992 and February 2002.
Results:
A total of 131 children with SCA were registered in the period between January 1992 and February 2002, during which five children suffered some kind of CVD event. This figure corresponds to 3.81% of the patients with SCA and 7.69% of the total number of children with CVD. The most frequent clinical presentation of the CVD is bouts of seizures and the most frequently observed type of CVD is ischemic, chiefly located in the middle cerebral artery. Of the different predictors that exist for ischemic CVD, haemoglobin count was found to be lower than in haemorrhagic CVD.
Conclusion:
CVD is a common complication in the progress of patients with SCA with a high percentage of neurological sequelae.
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