Birth Weights in Sickle Cell Disease Pregnancies: A Cohort Study.

Pregnancy in women with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) has been linked with an increased incidence of adverse foetal outcomes when compared to women without haemoglobinopathies (HbAA). There's a paucity of data into foetal outcomes for infants born to women with SCD. Customised growth charts have been demonstrated to be better than population-based growth charts at identifying unhealthy small babies. We analysed the mean birth weight and customised birth weight centiles of infants born to mothers with SCD versus mothers with HbAA genotype, to quantify the risk of having a smaller baby. Birth weight and birth weight centiles were analysed for 88 women with SCD (50 HbSS; 38 HbSC) and 176 controls (HbAA). Statistically significant differences were seen in the mean birth weight (P value = 0.004) and the mean birth weight centiles (P value = 0.016). We conclude that SCD is a risk factor for having a smaller baby

Increased prevalence of renal cysts in patients with sickle cell disease

Abstract Background Early detection and interventions have enabled patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) to live well into adulthood. Consequently, the chronicity of SCD allows for the insidious manifestation of multisystem complications, including renal damage. Cystic renal lesions are commonly incidentally discovered on ultrasound and computerised tomography (CT) imaging of the abdomen. Most are benign simple cysts, however, difficulties may be encountered if infection, rupture, haemorrhage or cancerous changes develop. We aimed to determine whether patients with SCD have a higher prevalence of simple renal cysts compared to non-SCD individuals. Methods Data for a group of 223 patients with SCD who had undergone an ultrasound and/or CT imaging of the abdomen were extracted for comparison with 180 control patients (haemoglobin genotype unknown), matched for age and ethnicity. Scans were evaluated for 198 SCD patients and 180 controls. Results Renal cysts were found in 58% of the SCD group and 20% of the controls (OR 5.4 (CI 2.6–11.0), RR 2.8 (CI 1.9–4.2)). Bilateral renal cysts were found in 28% of the SCD participants in comparison with 5% of the control group. In those who had one or more cysts identified, the average number of cysts was 3.76 for the SCD group and 1.94 for the controls. Men with SCD were more likely to develop cysts than women (66% vs 53%), as were men without SCD (22% vs 17%). Conclusions Simple renal cysts occur more frequently, are more abundant and develop at a younger age in patients with SCD than ethnically-matched controls. Further study of the mechanism underlying cyst formation may shed light on both sickle cell nephropathy and other cystic renal diseases

Characteristics of study groups.

<p>Characteristics of study groups.</p