OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON SILENT CEREBRAL INFARCT IN CHILDREN OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE IN ASSOCIATION WITH RISK FACTORS

Aim and Objectives: To find out the presence of silent cerebral infracts (SCI) among sickle cell diseased children and to identify risk factors and correlate risk factors with silent cerebral infracts in sickle cell diseased children.. Settings, Design. Methods and Materials: The children who came to paediatrics department of maharaja institute of medical sciences, with confirmed haemoglobin electrophoresis findings of sickle cell disease in steady-state are subjected to T2 weighted MRI scan of the brain using Philips ingenia CX 1.5Tesla MRI machine. Results: out of 50 children with sickle cell disease ,18(36%) children have silent cerebral infarct and it was observed that the lower hemoglobin concentration, Lower RBC count, Lower Serum Ferritin, and elevated WBC count were considered to be the potential risk factors for Silent cerebral infarcts in Sickle cell disease. Conclusion : Patients with risk factors for silent cerebral infarcts should be evaluated for cerebrovascular disease. If evidence of the presence of SCI, consideration must be given to therapeutic intervention.