TITLE:
Characteristics of Patients with Sickle Cell Anaemia Admitted to the Bogodogo University Hospital’s Pediatric Unit in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, between 2017 and 2021
AUTHORS:
Abdoul-Guaniyi Sawadogo, Salam Sawadogo, Souleymane Saré, Aimé Bilgo, Koumpingnin Nebié, Alain Konseybo, Paul Ouédraogo, Niçaise Zagré, Yugbaré Solange Ouédraogo
KEYWORDS:
Sickle Cell Anaemia, Characteristics, Pediatric, Burkina Faso
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.11 No.9,
September
25,
2024
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Sickle cell anaemia, the most widespread genetic disease in the world, is an autosomal recessive hereditary disease characterised by the substitution of glutamic acid for valine in position 06 of the globin beta chain, giving rise to this aberrant haemoglobin S. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of patients with sickle cell anaemia admitted to the paediatric unit of Bogodogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection, involving children aged 0 - 14 years admitted to the paediatric ward of Centre hospitalier universitaire Bogodogo (CHU-B) with a significant sickle cell syndrome from January 2017 to December 2021. Results: A total of 73 patients were carriers of significant sickle cell syndromes out of 22,071 admitted to the paediatric department of CHU-B, i.e. a hospital prevalence of 0.33%. The patients’ average age was 6.9 ± 3.5 years, with extremes ranging from 1 to 14 years. The majority were male (sex ratio: 1.4). The most common reason for a consultation was pain (65.1%), followed by fever (48.5%). Pallor was the most prevalent physical indication (42.4%). Our patients stayed in the hospital for an average of 6.63 ± 5.7 days, with ranges of 1 to 30 days. It was 7.38 for individuals with SS and 5.74 for those with SC. The mean haemoglobin level was 7.5 g/dl ± 2.1 in SS patients and 10.07 ± 3.2 in SC patients. Conclusion: Sickle cell anaemia is considered in Burkina Faso as a public health crisis. Despite the low incidence in our investigation, significant sickle cell syndromes such as homozygous SS and composite heterozygous SC were shown to be the most common in our environment. Regular monitoring of sickle cell patients, adherence to hygiene measures, and prevention of anaemia, infections, and malaria would all help to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. Multicenter research on sickle cell disease management could increase patients’ quality of life.