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Mbiya BM, Kalombo DK, Mukendi YN, Daubie V, Mpoyi JK, Biboyi PM, Disashi GT, Gulbis B. Improvement of SCD morbimortality in children: experience in a remote area of an African country. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:294. [PMID: 33794895 PMCID: PMC8017617 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-06286-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a public health problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While reference sickle cell centers have been implemented in capital cities of African countries and have proven to be beneficial for SCD patients. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have never been set up in remote areas for families with low or very low sources of income. METHOD A cohort of 143 children with SCD aged 10 years old (IQR (interquartile range): 6-15 years) (sex ratio male/female = 1.3) were clinically followed for 12 months without any specific intervention aside from the management of acute events, and then for 12 months with a monthly medical visit, biological follow-up, and chemoprophylaxis (folic acid/penicillin), adequate fluids and malaria prevention. RESULTS The median age of patients at the diagnosis of SCD was 2 years (IQR: 1-5). The implementation of standardized and regular follow-ups in a new sickle cell reference center in a remote city showed an increase in the annual mean hemoglobin level from 50 to 70 g/L (p = 0.001), and a decrease in the lymphocyte count and spleen size (p < 0.001). A significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the average annual number of hospitalizations and episodes of vaso-occlusive crises, blood transfusions, infections, and acute chest syndromes were also observed. CONCLUSIONS The creation of a sickle cell reference center and the regular follow-up of children with sickle cell disease are possible and applicable in the context of a remote city of an African country and represent simple and accessible measures that can reduce the morbimortality of children with sickle cell disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Mukinayi Mbiya
- Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Sickle Cell Reference Center, Clinique Pédiatrique de Mbujimayi, Pediatrics Clinic of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Didier Kalenda Kalombo
- Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Sickle Cell Reference Center, Clinique Pédiatrique de Mbujimayi, Pediatrics Clinic of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Yannick Nkesu Mukendi
- Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Sickle Cell Reference Center, Clinique Pédiatrique de Mbujimayi, Pediatrics Clinic of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Valery Daubie
- Clinical Biology Department, LHUB-ULB, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - John Kalenda Mpoyi
- Sickle Cell Reference Center, Clinique Pédiatrique de Mbujimayi, Pediatrics Clinic of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Parola Mukendi Biboyi
- Sickle Cell Reference Center, Clinique Pédiatrique de Mbujimayi, Pediatrics Clinic of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Ghislain Tumba Disashi
- Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Mbujimayi, 06201, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Béatrice Gulbis
- Clinical Chemistry Department, Hereditary Red Blood Cell Disorders, LHUB-ULB, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
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Hepatitis B and C Infections Among Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease at a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria. ARCHIVES OF PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2020. [DOI: 10.5812/pedinfect.101632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: The frequent use of blood products for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) may put them at risk of being infected with hepatitis virus infections, especially if such blood products are not properly screened. Hepatitis B and C infections (HBV and HCV, respectively) may result in cirrhosis and liver cell cancer. Objectives: This study determined the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections among pediatric patients with sickle cell disease in comparison with matched controls at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospitals (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that comprised of 116 patients with SCD and their aged and sex-matched controls who were referred to the pediatric clinics at EKSUTH. The hemoglobin (Hb) genotypes of the participants were confirmed by Hb electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Biorad, USA Variant II, using the Beta thalassemia short program. Moreover, HBV and HCV antigens were assessed by the Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay method (Kits were manufactured by Biotech Laboratories USA). Results: The mean ages of the patients with SCD and controls were 8.35 ± 4.50 and 8.92 ± 3.25 years, respectively. The seroprevalence of HBV infection among the children with sickle cell disease and controls was 1% each (P =1.00). The seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus infection was 0% among the two groups. Most (98.3%) of the patients with SCD and controls were fully vaccinated against HBV infection. The two children (100%) that were seropositive for hepatitis B were never vaccinated against HBV infection. Conclusions: The seroprevalence of HBV infection is low among patients with SCD and controls. This may be due to the protective effect of high hepatitis B vaccination rate and high quality of care among our study population.
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