Acute complications of sickle cell disease in children

doi:10.1136/dtb.2001.39533

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2001;39:33-37; doi:10.1136/dtb.2001.39533

Acute complications of sickle cell disease in children

Sickle cell disease is a recessively inherited condition inwhich synthesis of haemoglobin is abnormal. The disease, whichoccurs mainly in people of African, African-Caribbean, Indian,Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent, is characterised bychronic anaemia, susceptibility to infection, bouts of severepain and organ dysfunction. While the life expectancy for patientshas improved, from a median survival age of 14 years in the1970s among those homozygous for the sickle haemoglobin geneto survival into the mid-40s, childhood remains a period ofpeak mortality and morbidity.¹ Here, we discuss the acute complicationsof sickle cell disease in children, concentrating on the managementof the acutely unwell child.