Sickle cell anemia

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Blood cells	Formed elements of blood	Red blood cells, multiple sickle cells	Red blood cells, normal
Red blood cells, sickle and pappenheimer	Red blood cells, sickle cell	Red blood cells, sickle cells

Sickle cell anemia, like other chronic, life-threatening diseases, can cause great stress to the patient and family members. Joining a support group, where members share common experiences and problems, can relieve this stress. See sickle cell anemia - support group.

In the past, death from organ failure often occurred between the ages of 20 and 40 in most sickle-cell patients. More recently, because of better understanding and management of the disease, patients live into their forties and fifties.

Causes of death include organ failure and infection. Some people with the disease experience minor, brief, and infrequent episodes. Others experience severe, prolonged, and frequent episodes resulting in many complications.

• recurrent aplastic and hemolytic crises resulting in anemia and gallstones
• multisystem disease (kidney, liver, lung)
• narcotic abuse
• splenic sequestration syndrome
• acute chest syndrome
• erectile dysfunction (as a result of priapism)
• blindness/visual impairment
• neurologic symptoms and stroke
• joint destruction
• gallstones
• infection, including pneumonia, cholecystitis (gallbladder), osteomyelitis (bone), and urinary tract infection
• parvovirus B19 infection resulting in aplastic crisis
• tissue death of the kidney
• loss of function of the spleen
• leg ulcers
• death

Call your health care provider if acute painful crises occur or at the first sign of any infection.

Review Date: 04/13/2005
Reviewed By: Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. editorial. Previously reviewed by Jacqueline A. Hart, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Harvard University