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Infections and sickle cell disease in Eastern Saudi Arabian children
M I el Mouzan1, B H al Awamy, G Absood
1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Saudi Arabian children with sickle cell disease (SCD) show similar overall infection rates to healthy peers. While some infections like gastroenteritis were more common in SCD patients, severe bacterial infections were rare in both groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder.
- Infections pose a significant risk to children with SCD, particularly in endemic regions.
- Understanding infection patterns in specific populations is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and patterns of infections in Saudi Arabian children with SCD.
- To compare infection rates and types between children with SCD and healthy controls.
- To assess the risk of infection in young Saudi Arabian children with SCD.
Main Methods:
- Prospective follow-up of 144 Saudi Arabian children diagnosed with SCD at birth.
- Inclusion of matched normal control subjects for comparison.
- Monitoring of infections from birth up to 4 years of age.
Main Results:
- No severe bacterial infections were observed in children with SCD; one control developed pneumococcal meningitis.
- Acute gastroenteritis was more frequent in children with SCD.
- Overall infection rates and hospital admissions due to infection did not differ significantly between SCD patients and controls by age 4.
Conclusions:
- Saudi Arabian infants and young children with SCD from oasis regions do not face an elevated risk of infection.
- The study suggests a comparable infection risk profile for children with SCD and healthy children in this specific population.
- Early diagnosis and monitoring may contribute to managing infection risks in children with SCD.
Abstract:
The rate and pattern of infections in 144 Saudi Arabian children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and matched normal control subjects are reported. All diagnoses of SCD were made at birth by means of screening blood from the umbilical cord. The children were prospectively followed up from birth to 4 years of age. Severe bacterial infections occurred in none of the children with SCD; one of the control children developed pneumococcal meningitis. Acute gastroenteritis was significantly more common among patients with SCD. For the first year of life, patients with SCD had significantly more infections than did the control children; but the reverse was true in the group that was 37 to 48 months of age. Considering all types of infections for all age groups, no difference was noted between patients with SCD and control subjects in terms of infection rate or related hospital admission. There were no deaths caused by infection in this series. We conclude that Saudi Arabian infants and young children of oasis origin with SCD are not at increased risk of infections compared with healthy children of the same age.