Sickle cell disorder is an inherited blood disorder of the blood that causes red blood cells to be "Sickled" or C-shaped. It also causes severe and life-threatening complications.

Red blood cells are disc-shaped cells that contain haemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that is responsible for the colour of the cell and fpr carrying oxygen around the body). Red blood cells are normally round and smooth, making it easy for them to travel through the blood vessels to deliver oxygen to all parts of the body.

  • In sickle cell disorder the red blood cells are sickled or C-shaped,stiff and sticky and can get stuck in tiny blood vessels and block the normal flow of blood causing pain and other severe complications.
  • Sickle cell disorder is an inherited blood disorder,its not contagious.It can only be inherited from both parents each having passed the gene for sickle cell.

The most common types of sickle cell disorder are:

Haemoglobin (Hb ss)

Haemoglobin (Hb sc)

Sickle cell beta- thalassemia


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

Who can get Affected

Sickle cell disorder is estimated to affect 50 million people globally and Nigeria is the epicentre zone with about 4-6 million people living with the disorder (1 in every 4 Nigerian has sickle cell trait) Annually about 300,000 newly diagnosed sickle cell children are born worldwide.Sub-Saharan Africa contributes about 75% of the number. Nigeria accounts for 100,000 to 150,000 newborns living wit h sickle cell 33% global burden of sickle cell disorder).Therefore, Nigeria occupies a strategic position in the epidemiology of sickle disorder from the global perspective.

People with sickle cell disorder have painful episodes called CRISIS that can last from hours to days.Its a painful episode that occurs when blood cells are unable to travel through blood vessels and causes clot due to shape of the blood cells. Crisis can occur and cause pain in any part of the body.
The types of crisis are:
Heamolytic crisis
Sequestration crisis
Aplastic crisis
Vaso-occulusive crisis

Complications of Sickle Cell Disorder

Stem cell or bone marrow transplant are the only cure for sickle cell disorder, but they are not done very often because of the significant risks involved.They are also eligibility issues and high cost of treatment associated with the transplant especially in resource scarce country like Nigeria.
There are wide range of management and preventive therapies used in the treatment of Sickle cell disorder.
Medical management:
Pain medications
Antibiotics
Antimalarials
Transfusions
Anti sickling drugs
Folic acid
Vaccinationsuis

Physiotherapy management

Heat therapy
Breathing exercises
Supervised aerobic exercises
TENS therapy
Incentive spirometry
Wound management.

Dietary management:

Balanced diet
Water therapy
Hydrating foods like cucumber,watermelons, tomatoes, grapefruits etc
Foods rich in omega-3-fatty acids like olive oil, fatty fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables.

Preventive strategies

Avoidance of alcohol
Avoidance of smoking
Avoidance of caffeinated drinks
Prevention of mosquito bites
Rest
Proper self care
Avoidance of air pollution
Avoidance of lung infections
Avoidance of temperature extremes
Proper stress management
Regular check ups
Joining support groups

IGNORANCE IS NOT AN EXCUSE! KNOW YOUR GENOTYPE AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS

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