Determination of trace elements status of Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia using INAA and PIXE

The clinical application of trace elements in the management of Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) has not become standard recommended practice despite decades of research. A major reason for this is the ambivalence in published results as to the relative importance of some of these elements in the disease. An attempt has been made in this work to correct some of the various factors that could contribute to such inconsistencies. Results from separate investigations carried out on Nigerian subjects by our group, using both INAA and PIXE methods have been holistically evaluated and compared. Trace and minor elements were determined in wholeblood, erythrocytes, plasma, headhair and nail obtained from SCA patients in steady state and compared with identical samples from normal controls. Twelve elements were determined in blood while 20 and 30 elements were analysed in nail and hair samples respectively from the total 225 subjects. The results indicate a general mild zinc deficiency, more serious for males, in Nigerian SCA patients. It is clear that the elements Na, K, Rb and Br play key roles in maintaining homeostasis in the steady-state SCA patients. Possible gender influence in the utilization of K, Br and Fe in SCA is also suggested.