Haematological profile of adult sickle cell disease patients in North Maharashtra

Background: Sickle cell anaemia is a major genetic disease in India that presents major challenges to our health care systems. Aim and Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the haematological profile of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients in the steady state from tribal population of North Maharashtra. Material & methods: Thirty six sickle cell disease patients in steady state, 43 sickle cell carriers and 43 normal healthy volunteers with age group18-40 years were recruited for the study. Subjects having history of vaso-occlussive crisis, blood transfusion and serious illness within last three months were excluded from the study. Results: We found low levels of haemoglobin 7.86 ± 1.93gm/dl, Red Blood Cell count 2.93 ± 0.73 milli/cmm, as well as the Packed Cell Volume 27.18 ± 5.35% in the male and female SCD patients when compared with the carriers and normal subjects. Mean Corpuscular Volume 93.91 ± 6.9 was found to be higher whereas Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration 28.71 ± 2.19 values were less (P<0.05) in the patients than the carriers and controls. Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin 26.91 ± 2.07 levels of the patients were not statistically significant when compared with carriers and normal subjects. Conclusion: Our results show, moderate to severe anemia and high foetal haemoglobin levels in the adult SCD patients. Sickle cell carriers and the normal control subjects showed mild to moderate anaemia. The occurrence of anaemia in these patients suggests that there is strong need to monitor these patients, to prevent triggering factors of vaso-occlussive crisis. The data so obtained would help in the management, prevention and control programme for SCD patients at the primary health care centers in India.