Study of Pulmonary Complication due to Embolism in Sickle Cell Disease

Background Children particularly affected by sickle cell disease (SCD), there is dearth of research on this topic in India, specifically targeting the magnitude of SCD-related complications. We therefore conducted this study to determine the burden of acute chest syndrome (ACS) and describe its clinical and therapeutic aspects among SCD children. Methods This study was carried-out from January 2015 to May2016. Weenrolled all SCD children with confirmed diagnosis of ACS, and recorded their clinical presentation at admissionalong with their evolution during hospitalization. Results 28 cases of ACS were identified during the study period, from 258 hospitalizations of childrenwith SCD. Ages ranged from 11 months to 18 years. We noticed relatively low levels of HbF, from 5.5 to 13.5 % with a mean of 13.5 % (5.9 %). The three main symptoms at admission were fever (53.5 %), cough (46.5 %) and chest pains (28.5 %). Two patients (7.1 %) developed ACS 2 days after admission. The main localizations of radiological alveolar consolidations were the lower lobes. The duration of hospitalization, the mean of which was 6.8 (3.1) days, was influenced by none ofthe tested variables (p values greater than 0.05). Conclusion ACS is frequent among SCD childrens. Its etiologies seem to be multifactorial. Patientsparents should be educated to recognize early signs and symptoms of the disease, and consult rapidly. Additionally, clinicians must be trained to diagnose ACS, and manage it promptly and efficiently to avoid its relatedcatastrophic consequences.