[Leg ulcers in sickle cell disease: A retrospective study of 40 cases]

In Africa, studies primarily devoted to chronic leg ulcer due to sickle cell disease are rare. The objectives of the study were to determine the epidemiology, diagnosis and progression of chronic leg ulcers in sickle cell disease.

A 5-year multicentre, retrospective study was conducted in three university hospitals in Dakar. We included all patients with chronic leg ulcers occurring in a setting of sickle cell disease.

We identified 40 cases of chronic leg ulcers associated with sickle cell disease, representing 3.4% of the current population of sickle cell patients in our institutions. The average patient age was 25.9 years and the sex ratio was 2.33. Chronic leg ulcer was the presenting feature enabling diagnosis of sickle cell disease in one third of the cases. The average time to consultation from onset was 5.4 years. Pain was reported in 22 cases (48%). Ulcers were isolated in 76% and multiple in 24% of cases. The most common site was the medial malleolus (39%). A CBC allowed identification of anaemia in 35 cases. Haemoglobin electrophoresis was performed and homozygous sickle cell SS disease was identified in 39 cases and heterozygous SC disease in 1 case. Local treatments included physiologic serum, topical antibiotics and skin grafting. Systemic treatment included supplementation with folic acid in all patients, blood transfusion in 16 cases, vasodilators in 11 cases and antibiotics in 25 cases. The outcome was favourable in 61.8% of cases.

In Dakar, sickle cell disease is a common cause of chronic leg ulcer and is frequently revealed by chronic leg ulcer.