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Sewaralthahab S, Alsubki LA, Alhrabi MS, Alsultan A. Effects of hydroxyurea on fertility in male and female sickle cell disease patients. A systemic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304241. [PMID: 38848387 PMCID: PMC11161076 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence supports the benefits of hydroxyurea (HU) in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), but reservations remain due to long-term concerns of fertility. Retrospective analysis of clinical records of SCD patients (haemoglobin SS genotype) have identified gender-related differences in disease progression. This could inform risk stratification during SCD at diagnosis with the possibility to guide therapeutic decisions. METHODS This systemic review and meta-analysis evaluated fertility parameters in both children (aged ≥ 6 years) and adults with SCD receiving HU therapy. Studies were sourced from PubMed and EMBASE from inception to July 2023. A total of 160 potentially relevant articles were identified. RESULTS Four studies were included that evaluated the effects of HU on sperm parameters in males. A further 4 studies assessed anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels and ovarian reserves in females. Differences from baseline values were used to identify compromised fertility. Amongst males, HU treatment negatively impacted the concentration of spermatozoa (MD = -15.48 million/mL; 95% CI: [-20.69, -10.26]; p< 0.001), which continued following treatment cessation (MD = -20.09 million/mL; 95% CI: [-38.78, -1.40]; P = 0.04). HU treatment also led to lower total sperm counts (MD = -105.87 million; 95% CI: [-140.61, -71.13]; P< 0.001) which persisted after treatment (MD = -53.05 million; 95% CI: [-104.96, -1.14]; P = 0.05). Sperm volume, initial forward motility and morphology were unaffected by HU treatment. In females, HU treatment decreased the mean AMH levels 1.83 (95% CI [1.42, 2.56]. A total of 18.2.% patients treated with HU showed reduced ovarian reserves. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS This systemic review and meta-analysis suggest that the use of HU for SCD impacts seminal fluid parameters in males and can diminish AMH levels and ovarian reserves in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Sewaralthahab
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Oncology Center, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lujain A. Alsubki
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maram S. Alhrabi
- Oncology Center, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman Alsultan
- Oncology Center, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Marchesani S, Bertaina V, Marini O, Cossutta M, Di Mauro M, Rotulo GA, Palma P, Sabatini L, Petrone MI, Frati G, Monteleone G, Palumbo G, Ceglie G. Inflammatory status in pediatric sickle cell disease: Unravelling the role of immune cell subsets. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 9:1075686. [PMID: 36703915 PMCID: PMC9871358 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1075686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The mutation of the beta-globin gene that causes sickle cell disease (SCD) results in pleiotropic effects, such as hemolysis and vaso-occlusive crisis that can induce inflammatory mechanisms with deleterious consequences on the organism. Moreover, SCD patients display an increased susceptibility to infections. Few studies are currently available that evaluate a wide immunological profile in a pediatric population. This study proposes an evaluation of the immune profile in subjects with SCD in a pediatric population through a detailed analysis by flow cytometry. Methods and Materials: Peripheral blood samples from 53 pediatric patients with SCD (mean age 9.8 years, interquartile range 9 years) were obtained and then analyzed by flow cytometry, in order to evaluate changes in the immune populations compared to 40 healthy donors (mean age 7.3 years, interquartile range 9.5 years). Results: Our data showed an increase in neutrophils (with a reduction in the CD62L + subpopulation) and monocytes (with a decrease in HLA-DRlow monocytes) with normal values of lymphocytes in SCD patients. In the lymphocyte subpopulations analysis we observed lower values of CD4+ T cells (with higher number of memory and central memory T lymphocytes) with increased frequency of CD8+ T cells (with a predominant naive pattern). Moreover, we observed higher values of CD39+ Tregs and lower HLA-DR+ and CD39- T cells with an increased Th17, Th1-17 and Th2 response. Conclusion: We observed immunological alterations typical of an inflammatory status (increase in activated neutrophils and monocytes) associated with a peculiar Treg pattern (probably linked to a body attempt to minimize inflammation intrinsic to SCD). Furthermore, we highlighted a T helper pathway associated with inflammation in line with other studies. Our data showed that immunological markers may have an important role in the understanding the pathophysiology of SCD and in optimizing targeted therapeutic strategies for each patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Marchesani
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy,*Correspondence: Silvio Marchesani,
| | - Valentina Bertaina
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Olivia Marini
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy,Women’s and Children’s Health Department, Hematology-Oncology Clinic and Laboratory, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Matilde Cossutta
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Margherita Di Mauro
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Gioacchino Andrea Rotulo
- Clinical and Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy,Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation Ophthalmology Genetics Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Palma
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy,Clinical and Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Letizia Sabatini
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Isabella Petrone
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Frati
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Monteleone
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Palumbo
- University Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy,Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Ceglie
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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