Cardiovascular Manifestations Of Sickle Cell Anaemia In Patients Of 13 Years And Above At The Kenyatta National Hospital
Abstract
55 Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients were studied with a view to
determining their cardiovacular status. Their ages were ranging between
13-27 years with a medium of 18.9 years. They comprised 27 males and
28 females. The main haemoglobin concentration was 8.5 ± 1.4g/dL.
Haemoglobin level of 8-9g/dL seen in 30 patients was noted to confer the
lowest incidences of exertional dyspnoea (40%) and palpitation (50%).
This group also had lowest mean heart rate.
Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures, Ejection fraction
(EF) and differential fibre shortening (%D) were found to be directly
related to haemoglobin concentration, whereas cardiothoractc index (CTI)
and left ventricular dimensions had an inverse relationships to
haemoglobi n concentration.
The left venticular dimensions (LVD), Ejection fraction end differential
fibre shortening were found to be normal in 80.9% of the patients
indicating that the majority of patients with sickle cell anaemia at
Kenyatta National Hospital have good cardiac functions.
Citation
Masters of MedicinePublisher
University of Nairobi School of Medicine