Ocular manifestations of sickle hemoglobinopathies

Subperiosteal Orbital Hematoma: A Rare Clinical Manifestation of Sickle Cell Disease - A Case Report

Sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited vaso-occlusive disorder, results in recurrent painful episodes and a variety of serious systemic complications that can lead to severe disabilities and even death. Here, we report a case of a 19-year-old African American patient with homozygous sickle cell trait who presented with right upper lid edema and ptosis, 3 days after his admission to the hospital following a sickle cell crisis. Initially, mistaken as a superinfection in the context of his disease, a diagnosis of orbital abscess was made. Intravenous antibiotics and a proper treatment plan were set accordingly. Only after extensive clinical and radiological examinations, it turned out to be an acute subperiosteal orbital hematoma, a rare clinical manifestation of SCD. The aim of our case report was to highlight the difference in orbital presentation between osteomyelitis and subperiosteal hematoma, as well as spreading awareness among medical professionals and especially ophthalmologists for this rare presentation of orbital wall infarction, as the initial differential diagnosis of SCD patients with ocular involvement.

Prevalence of ocular abnormalities in relation to sickle cell disease severity among children in South-western, Nigeria

INTRODUCTION

Sickle cell disease (SCD) ranks high among genetic disorders worldwide. It is characterised by repeated vaso-occlusion with resultant end-organ damage. This process can occur in all vascular beds in the body, including ocular blood vessels and may cause irreversible blindness in advanced stages. Little is known of the relationship between the prevalence of ocular abnormalities among children with SCD and their disease severity.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the Paediatric Haematology Clinics and the Eye Centre of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife. Children with SCD in steady state were recruited from the Haematology Clinics and examined for ocular abnormalities at the Eye Centre of the hospital. The subjects SCD severity grade was determined using a previously validated scoring system.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty (120) children aged 5 to 15 years were examined. Of these, 72 had one or more ocular abnormalities giving the prevalence of ocular abnormalities among them to be 60.0%. Though a higher proportion of children with moderate disease, 23 (65.7%) of 35, compared to those with mild disease, 49 (57.6%) of 85 had ocular abnormalities, this difference was not statistically significant, p = 0.412.

CONCLUSION

Ocular abnormalities among Nigerian children with SCD are common even in steady-state, but not significantly associated with disease severity. Periodic screening for ocular abnormalities should thus be done on them irrespective of disease severity.

Sickle cell disease retinopathy: characterization among pediatric and teenage patients from northeastern Brazil

Objective

The aim of the present study was to characterize sickle cell disease retinopathy in children and teenagers from Bahia, the state in northeastern Brazil with the highest incidence and prevalence of sickle cell disease.

Methods

A group of 51 sickle cell disease patients (36 hemoglobin SS and 15 hemoglobin SC) with ages ranging from 4 to 18 years was studied. Ophthalmological examinations were performed in all patients. Moreover, a fluorescein angiography was also performed in over 10-year-old patients.

Results

The most common ocular lesions were vascular tortuosity, which was found in nine (25%) hemoglobin SS patients, and black sunburst, in three (20%) hemoglobin SC patients. Peripheral arterial closure was observed in five (13.9%) hemoglobin SS patients and in three (13.3%) hemoglobin SC patients. Arteriovenous anastomoses were present in six (16.5%) hemoglobin SS patients and six (37.5%) hemoglobin SC patients. Neovascularization was not identified in any of the patients.

Conclusions

This study supports the use of early ophthalmological examinations in young sickle cell disease patients to prevent the progression of retinopathy to severe disease and further blindness.