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Sickle cell anemia is a
serious condition in which the red blood
cells can become sickle-shaped (that is,
shaped like a “C”).
Sickle-shaped cells
don’t move easily through the blood. They’re
stiff and sticky and tend to form clumps and
get stuck in blood vessels. The clumps of
sickle cells block blood flow in the blood
vessels, causing pain, serious infections,
and organ damage.
Sickle cell anemia is
an inherited, lifelong condition. People who
have sickle cell anemia are born with it.
They inherit two copies of the sickle cell
gene, one from each parent.
People who inherit a
sickle cell gene from one parent and a
normal gene from the other parent have a
condition called sickle cell trait. People
with sickle cell trait don’t have the
condition, but they can pass the sickle cell
gene on to their children.
Sickle cell anemia
affects millions of people worldwide. It’s
most common in people whose families come
from Africa, South or Central America
(especially Panama), Caribbean islands,
Mediterranean countries (such as Turkey,
Greece, and Italy), India, and Saudi Arabia.
In the United States,
sickle cell anemia affects about 70,000
people. It mainly affects African Americans.
The signs and symptoms
of sickle cell anemia are different in each
person. Some people have mild symptoms.
Others have very severe symptoms and are
often hospitalized for treatment.
The most common signs
and symptoms of sickle cell anemia are
linked to anemia and pain (also referred to
as a "sickle cell crisis").
Infection is a major
complication of sickle cell anemia.
Pneumonia, in particular, can be a
life-threatening complication in children
with sickle cell anemia. Routine treatment
with penicillin and vaccinations are used to
prevent infection in children.
Strokes are a major
complication for children with sickle cell
anemia. Routine screening and early
treatment can prevent strokes.
Early diagnosis of
sickle cell anemia is very important so that
children who have the condition can get
proper treatment. Screening tests for sickle
cell anemia and sickle cell trait are done
on newborn infants in most States. One blood
test used to diagnose sickle cell anemia
looks at how hemoglobin moves in an electric
field. This is called electrophoresis, and
it’s usually used to diagnose older children
and adults.
Effective treatments
are available to help relieve the symptoms
and complications of sickle cell anemia, but
in most cases there’s no cure. (Some
researchers believe that bone marrow
transplants may offer a cure in a small
number of cases.)
Sickle cell anemia is
treated with medicines, blood transfusions,
and other treatments specific to certain
complications.
Researchers are working
to develop new treatments for sickle cell
anemia, including gene therapy and safer and
more effective bone marrow transplants.
If you have sickle cell
anemia, take good care of yourself and see
your doctor regularly.
If your child has
sickle cell anemia, you should learn as much
about the condition as possible. This will
help you recognize early signs of problems,
such as fever or chest pain, and seek early
treatment. |
