[Lead intoxication revealing sickle cell disease]

We here report the case of a 18 year old patient with two brothers who died from sickle cell anemia. He had a 5-day history of diffuse bone pain. He had drunk a preparation containing lead to obtain an analgesic effect without improvement. Radiographic examination showed a condensation due to the presence of lead in the digestive tract, associated with aseptic osteonecrosis of the two femoral heads on the X-ray of the pelvis (A) and of the vertebrae in H on the X-ray of the dorso-lumbar spine (B). These signs were suggestive of sickle cell anemia. The diagnosis was confirmed by hemoglobin electrophoresis test showing haemoglobin S at 79%.