Hematological parameters in association with outcomes in sickle cell anemia patients

Sickle cell disease (SCD) has a wide range of clinical presentation. We evaluated hematological parameters, which are widely evaluable and assessable, as indices of clinical outcome in SCD. These parameters, although largely established as indices of clinical outcome in other SCD populations, have not been widely evaluated in African patients.

One hundred and thirty six consecutive stable SCD patients who presented in the sickle cell clinic of a teaching hospital were studied retrospectively using a questionnaire. Hematological parameters of full blood count (FBC) for each patient were obtained using a cell counter. FBC parameters such as White blood cell count (WBC) were then statistically correlated with complications such as ankle ulcers, osteomylitis and others. A Chi-square text was used to compare frequencies and generate P values.

The presence of sickle cell complications was significantly associated with raised white blood cell count (WBC) above 11 × 10(9)/l (P = 0.03).The WBC of the patients increased with increasing numbers of complications (P = 0.07). Mean packed cell volume (PCV) and WBC tended toward the reference range for age and sex (in apparently normal individuals) as the age at diagnosis of SCD increased. This trend was significant for PCV (P = 0.01).

Our data provide additional support that widely evaluable and assessable hematological parameters such as PCV and WBC can be used as indices to predict SCD outcome in African patients. This is likely to impart positively on individualized therapy.