Sickle Cell

Sickle Cell


Summary

It is very important to know the causes, symptoms and treatment of the Sickle Cell disease in order for us to be able to manage our patient’s questions and family’s concerns.

Resume

Es bien importante conocer sobre las causas, síntomas y tratamiento de la enfermedad de Sickle Cell con el propósito para poder manejar las preguntas de nuestros pacientes y laspreocupaciones de la familia.
Keywords: “Sickle cell” “Anemia”
[pic]
Introduction

Sickle Cell disease, we hear the name in clinical setting not really understanding what causes the disease and how it affect the people that with the disease. In this article we are going to cover the causes, signs, symptoms and the treatment for this disease.

What is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle cell diseaseis an inherited disease in which the red blood cells are abnormally shaped. This defect can result in painful episodes, infections, chronic anemia, and damage to the body’s organs.

The different complications can be different from person to person depending on the type of sickle cell disease each has. Some people are relatively healthy and others are hospitalized frequently.

With so manyadvancements in early diagnosis and treatment, the majority of the kids born with this disorder grow up to live relatively healthy and normal lives.
The diverse forms of sickle cell disease are determined by the genes inherited from the patient's parents.
A patient inherits a sickle cell gene from each parent, has hemoglobin SS disease, which is most commonly called sickle cell anemia.

A patientcan also inherit a sickle cell gene from one parent and a different type of unusual gene from the other and end up with a different form of sickle cell disease, such as hemoglobin SC disease or hemoglobin S beta thalassemia.





















A patient who inherits only one sickle cell gene and a normal gene from the other parent will have the sickle cell trait, but it isnot the disease. The gene is common with African,



Spanish, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Indian people. In the United States, Sickle Cell Anemia affects 1 in every 500 African American children born, and 1 in every 900 Hispanic children born.
Causes

Hemoglobin allows red blood cells to transmit oxygen. It is composed by alpha chains and beta chains. A child with sickle celldisease has inherited two imperfect genes for the beta chain of hemoglobin.

The hemoglobin can obtain on an unusual shape, distorting the shape of the red blood cells. The cells change from their normal round shape, like a doughnut, to the stretched out shape of a sickle, or the shape of the letter "C."

agnosis

Sickle cell disease usually is diagnosed at birth with a blood test during routinenewborn screening tests. If a child tests positive on the screening test, a second blood test (called a hemoglobin electrophoresis) should be performed to confirm the diagnosis.


Because kids with sickle cell disease are at an increased risk of infection and other health complications, early diagnosis and treatment to prevent problems is important. Currently, more than 40 states require newbornscreening programs for sickle cell disease.













agnosis

Sickle cell disease usually is diagnosed at birth with a blood test during routine newborn screening tests. If a child tests positive on the screening test, a second blood test (called a hemoglobin electrophoresis) should be performed to confirm the diagnosis.


Because kids with sickle cell disease are at anincreased risk of infection and other health complications, early diagnosis and treatment to prevent problems is important. Currently, more than 40 states require newborn screening programs for sickle cell disease.


agnosis

Sickle cell disease usually is diagnosed at birth with a blood test during routine newborn screening tests. If a child tests positive on the screening test, a second...