Urologic manifestations of sickle hemoglobinopathies

We analyzed the renal radiographic changes in the sickle hemoglobinopathies in 92 patients, in 70 of whom the specific hemoglobin type was documented by electrophoresis. The following conclusions have been drawn: (1) Approximately 50% of patients with SS hemoglobin have renal enlargement (both on roentgenograms and at autopsy), while only a small proportion of patients with the other hemoglobinopathies show renal enlargement; (2) slightly more than one half of patients with each type of hemoglobinopathy have calyceal changes; and (3) these calyceal changes do not fall into a specific pattern with respect to hemoglobin type.