SICKLE CELL DISEASE CONTINUED

 Thanks everyone for visiting the blog. I hope I have been able to pass on an incredible message. I also sincerely hope that you make use of the information and pass it to others around you. You may never be too sure, they may need it too.

After writing the first piece, I gave it to my husband to edit for me. He was more than happy that I decided to write on this topic. He had an encounter recently with someone who had just lost a cousin to sickle cell anaemia. It was a case of someone who was thought to be very stable medically. You wouldn't even know he had sickle cell unless he told you himself. This is just to re-emphasize the fact that this topic is no child's play. It is a plague ravaging us Africans.

Today I would like to talk about sickle cell traits and then the disease proper. Grab your neighbour, let us all read along together. Thanks.

Love you lots.

SICKLE CELL TRAITS

This simply mean that the person has one normal hemoglobin known as HbA, as well as an abnormal hemoglobin which could be either HbS or HbC thereby giving rise to genotypes like HbAS or HbAC. Persons with these genotypes do not come down with sickle cell anaemia except in very rare cases. However  these people must only marry persons with only normal hemoglobin as in HbAA except if they do not plan to have children. People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have sickle cell trait (SCT). People with SCT usually do not have any of the symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD), but they can pass the trait on to their children.

 

HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR GENOTYPE

Sickle cell disease or trait can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. People at risk of having SCT can talk with a doctor or health clinic about getting this test.

SCT SYMPTOMS 

Most people with SCT do not have any symptoms of SCD, although—in rare cases—people with SCT might experience complications of SCD, such as pain crises.

In their extreme form, and in rare cases, the following conditions could be harmful for people with SCT:

Increased pressure in the atmosphere such as while scuba diving

Low oxygen levels in the air for example, when mountain climbing, exercising extremely hard in military boot camp, or training for an athletic competition

Dehydration , for example, when one has too little water in the bodyi

High altitudes experienced for example when flying, mountain climbing, or places with high altitude

More research is needed to find out why some people with SCT have complications and others do not.

SCT AND ATHLETHES

Some people with SCT have been shown to be more likely than those without SCT to experience heat stroke and muscle breakdown when doing intense exercise, such as competitive sports or military training under unfavorable temperatures( very high or low) or conditions.

Studies have shown that the chance of this problem can be reduced by avoiding dehydration and getting too hot during training.

People with SCT who participate in competitive or team sports should be careful when doing training or conditioning activities. To prevent illness it is important to:

i. Set your own pace and build your intensity slowly.

ii. Rest often in between repetitive sets and drills.

iii. Drink plenty of water before, during and after training and conditioning activities.

iv. Keep the body temperature cool when exercising in hot and humid temperatures by misting the body with water or going to an air conditioned area during breaks or rest periods.

SICKLE CELL DISEASE

This occurs in persons with two abnormal hemoglobin genes viz HbSS.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

1. Anaemia : Many signs of sickle cell are linked to anemia. 

   Symptoms of anemia include

 headache, 

 dizziness,

 pale skin,

 chest pain

 cold hands

 cold feet

 shortness of breath.

2. Pain: A major symptom of sickle-cell anemia is sudden episodes of pain, called CRISES. 

Pain can occur in the abdomen, bones, lungs and joints. 

Crises can last hours to weeks.

3. Other Symptoms include :

vision problems,

delayed growth,

infections, 

swollen hands and swollen feet.

Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes, also can occur.

COMPLICATIONS

Sickle-cell complications are many and mostly irreversible. 

Problems can include:

stroke, which may occur in the young 

blindness, 

gallstones,

skin ulcers mostly leg and ankles,

organ damage. 

Men may also suffer from painful erections called priapism.

BE CAUTIOUS!

Signs of sickle cell usually occur in infants after the age of 4 months.

 Seek immediate medical care if you or your child develops any symptoms of sickle-cell anemia.

LIFE EXPECTANCY

According to WebMD, people with sickle cell anemia had a life expectancy of about 14 years old as recently as 1973.

General Life Expectancy

According to the National Library of Medicine, many people now survive sickle cell disease well into their 50's and beyond.

Men Vs. Women

According to the NLM, average survival for men is 42 years while the average women lives until 48.

TREATMENT

Most times the treatment is palliative and it is based on presentations.

Stem cell transplants offer the only chance for a cure. 

According to WebMD, candidates include young patients with severe illness whose sibling has compatible stem cells. 

Stem cells from a relative's umbilical cord blood might also work. Treatment with hydroxyurea might improve survival rates.

CONSIDERATIONS.

The severity of the disease can vary greatly between individuals. Environment has also be known to affect the disease. These will influence prognosis.

Sickle Cell Disease

Hi friends! Howdy! Today, I would like to discuss a very important disease which cuts across all generations especially in Africa. It is a medical as well as a social and economic problem which is better addressed so that we will not make the same mistakes our parents made. Now, sit back, relax and flow with me as we try to shed a little light on this dreaded disease, Sickle Cell Disease. I promise to write in plain English as much as possible. Thanks.

Mrs B looked at her helpless son groaning in pains. Nothing seems to be working. All the analgesics seem to be like ordinary water. Even this new drug which the doctors say is still under study with great potentials did nothing to help her boy. Tears rolled down her cheeks and as she fumbled for her already tear soaked handkerchief, she wondered if her decisions were worth it now.

   She was a very beautiful lady in her early 30s when she met the gorgeous Mr B. he had a good set of white teeth and English rolled out of his tongue as though he was an English prince. She must have fallen for him there and then because when he asked her for a date moments later, she could not say no. And that was how it all started.

   Finally all her prayers were answered in this man except for just one thing. As she was already advanced in age with no possible suitors looking her way again, she had better "borrow herself some brain". This man's genotype was AS. Hers too was AS. There was a good chance she could have a child with SS. But she rejected it in Jesus name. There was only one chance in four that she would have a sickle celled child or so she was told. She would fast very well and pray that such would not be her portion. Amen.

  How mistaken she was. She had three (3 ) children. She had already lost one child due to sickle cell. He was very sick and died suddenly. Now she was losing the second son. Her husband had already left her after the death of the first son. Now she was alone to deal with all these emotionally, physically, financially and mentally.

  The sudden calmness of her surroundings juggled her back to the present only for her to discover that her son was lying still in bed, quiet. 'Doctoooorrrr!!!!!'

SICKLE CELL DISEASE

This is a hereditary blood disorder characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid,sickle shape unlike the normal red blood cells which are discoid in shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. In other words, the sickled cells are prone to destruction. The sickling occurs because of a mutation in the hemoglobin gene. This leads to a shortened life expectancy. In 1994, in the US, the average life expectancy of persons with this condition was estimated to be 42 years in males and 48 years in females, but today, thanks to better management of the disease, patients can live into their 70s or beyond.

Sickle-cell disease occurs more commonly among the African population where malaria is common. In malaria endemic areas, carrying a single sickle-cell gene confers a form of immunity i.e a person with genotype HbAS has a level of immunity against malaria.

The term disease is applied because the inherited abnormality causes a pathological condition that can lead to death and severe complications. 

Inheritance of the sickle cell gene is as a result of both parents being carriers of the sickle cell genes i.e both parents have HbAS. These two combine together to give HbSS. A lot of myths surround the sickle cell inheritance, one of which is that if two people with HbAS decide to marry, they have a chance of having only one HbSS child out of four children. This is a blatant lie. The probability of having HbSS child is 25% in every pregnancy.

Note

SCT- sickle cell trait ( carrier)

So every time the mother carries a pregnancy she has a quarter chance of the child being sickle celled and only a quarter chance of having a normal child.

I will seize this opportunity to implore you all to know your genotype and inform many more about it. I would like to let you know that if you are HbAS and you are in a relationship with someone who is also HbAS , it may be better for you to call it quits.

 The story above may have been like a worst case scenario. Maybe. Maybe not. There are cases not as bad and there are some much worse than that. So it will be better to save yourself from all that may be.

I will continue with this topic later to discuss the different types of sickle cell traits, the manifestations, complications and management.

Thank you very much.

Love you lots.

Nigeria set to immunize 35 million children against measles

Nigeria is set to immunize an estimated 35 million children against measles this month.The immunization exercise will be conducted in two phases and children between nine months and five years will benefit from the programme.

The first phase, which will kick off in the capital city Abuja and the 19 northern states of the Federation started yesterday October 5th and will continue till Wednesday October 9th, 2013. The second phase however will take place between November 2nd and 6th , 2013 in all the southern states.

The campaign, we hope would reduce the cases of measles in our beloved country.

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness  causing a reddish rash all over the body with fever preceded by upper respiratory tract infections e.g cough, catarrh and sometimes with conjuctivitis. It can lead to serious complications, including blindness and even death in children.

Nigeria this year is said to have reported 53,842 cases of measles, which claimed 330 lives, marking a sharp rise from a year ago, when there were 104 deaths out of the 8,243 reported cases.

Please ensure that all children under the age of five is immunized irrespective of whether they have been vaccinated previously or not. Please pass on this message.

Let us all fight this battle against measles.

Pictures courtesy of google.

Introduction

Welcome to my blog!!!

I am Abiola Olubiyi, a physician in a federal medical centre in Nigeria. I have a passion to ensure that people have a healthful life. I advocate that people eat, play, live healthy. It is my passion that has driven me to create this blog so as to reach out to many people on ways that could make us live a long and purposeful as well as a happy life.

I pray that I will be able to address issues to the best of my knowledge and I hope that this blog will be your companion with time.

Thanks so much.

Love you.