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Updated: Jul 17, 2025
A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
Hospitalizations among children with sickle cell disease enrolled in the Kumasi Sickle Cell Pan African Consortium
Yaa Gyamfua Oppong-Mensah1, Samuel Frimpong Odoom1, Isaac Nyanor1
1Department of Child Health Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Kumasi Ghana.
Insights
Sickle cell disease (SCD) hospitalizations in children are mainly due to vaso-occlusive pain events, acute chest syndrome, and infections. Most pediatric SCD patients had good outcomes upon discharge, with a median hospital stay of six days.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Clinical Research
- Public Health in Africa
Background:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most prevalent monogenic hemolytic disorder in Africa.
- Despite advancements, SCD complications frequently lead to hospitalization in affected children.
- Understanding hospitalization patterns is crucial for improving pediatric SCD care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the primary causes of hospitalization among pediatric patients with SCD.
- To describe the outcomes of hospitalization for children with SCD.
- To analyze the length of hospital stay for pediatric SCD admissions.
Main Methods:
- A 12-month cross-sectional study was conducted at a major teaching hospital's Pediatric Emergency Unit.
- Pediatric patients diagnosed with SCD were recruited for data collection.
- Data included causes of admission, length of stay, and patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- Vaso-occlusive pain events (39.8%), acute chest syndrome (25.9%), and infections (12.4%) were the leading causes for hospitalization.
- A significant number of patients (5.0%) presented with stroke.
- The median length of hospital stay was 6 days, with a 3.0% mortality rate.
Conclusions:
- Vaso-occlusive pain events, acute chest syndrome, and infections are the most common reasons for pediatric SCD admissions.
- The majority of hospitalized pediatric SCD patients experienced favorable discharge outcomes.
- Maintaining robust SCD databases and patient follow-up is vital for enhancing patient outcomes.
Background And Aims:
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the commonest monogenic haemolytic disorder in Africa. Despite strides made in its management, a significant proportion of patients are hospitalized from the various complications of the disease. This study set out to describe the main causes and outcomes of hospitalizations among pediatric patients with SCD.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Pediatric Emergency Unit of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital within a period of 12 months to recruit pediatric SCD patients. This study looked at causes of admission, length of hospital stay (LOS), and outcome of admission.
Results:
Of the 201 SCD patients recruited, 57.2% were males and majority were of SCD-SS phenotype 83.1%. The median age was 6 years. The three leading causes of hospitalization were Vaso-occlusive pain events (VOPE) (39.8%), acute chest syndrome (ACS) (25.9%), and infections (12.4%). Ten (5.0%) of the patients presented with a stroke. High admissions were observed in June (12.4%) and November (16.9%). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) LOS was 6 days (IQR: 4-10). Six (3.0%) of the patients died from complications of the disease during hospitalization.
Conclusion:
VOPE, ACS, infections, and acute anaemia from hyperhaemolysis were observed as the most common causes of admissions among SCD patients. A good outcome of discharge was seen in most of the patients that were hospitalized with a median length of stay of 6 days. This study also strengthens the importance of a good SCD database with patient follow-ups for better outcomes in SCD patients.
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