This Week in Sickle Cell News August 18th to the 24th

By Sean Marshall
Bizarre findings for adolescents suffering from sickle cell anemia, according to Healio.com adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease are statistically more likely to have chlamydia. The information comes from an article on Healio.com. The website is generally known for being a web site dedicated to spreading knowledge of infectious disease in children and young adults.

The information comes from a study conducted by Tulane University School of Medicine in Mew Orleans. The testing assessed "the burden of asymptomatic chlamydia among patients with sickle cell disease." According to the results of the testing 12% of participants were tested positive for chlamydia and sickle cell disease. The interesting aspect was that “adolescents made up three-quarters of positive results.”

If you would like to learn more about the study follow the link: http://www.healio.com/pediatrics/emerging-diseases/news/online/%7B8fe91aab-4d16-4807-9027-b83e1e83fd52%7D/adolescents-young-adults-with-sickle-cell-disease-have-higher-rates-of-chlamydia?sc_trk=internalsearch

Other interesting developments this week include a study that reveled patients with sickle cell anemia have lower levels of vitamin D. On 7thspace.com a study was revealed that “ the average vitamin D levels are also substantially lower in African Americans than whites,” it also went on to say “that the  population distributions vitamin D among Jamaicans of African descent and West Africans are the same as among USA whites.”

It was explained that these results were found by collecting samples from Jamaican and West Africans who suffer from sickle cell disease have a 37% and 39% higher chance of having a lower level of vitamin D in their system.

The reason why the study was conducted is that this genetic anomaly is happening across the world to sickle cell sufferers. The team responsible for the study feel that “this issue deserve further investigation, and a randomized trial is warranted to address efficacy of supplementation on sickle cell anemia.”

If you’re interested in more details about the study go to: http://7thspace.com/headlines/480269/vitamin_d_levels_are_low_in_adult_patients_with_sickle_cell_disease_in_jamaica_and_west_africa.html

Good news for children who suffer from sickle cell disease. A new study from the New England Journal of Medicine has explained that monthly blood transfusions may lower the chance of silent strokes in children with sickle cell. NursingKnowledge.com posted an article on their site outlining all the details.

The study was conducted by Dr. James Casella who first started out by using MRI technology to scan over 1,000 brains of children between the ages of 5 to 15 with sickle cell anemia. The team was looking for past silent strokes and other similar brain activities.  The study found that there were 196 children who had had silent strokes.

The 196 children were then separated into two groups. One group was given monthly blood transfusions while the other was given regular care. In the three year study those children who had been given regular blood transfusions were less likely to have silent and full blown strokes.  It was explained that this process did not fully remove the chance of strokes but did decreases it.

There were however some complications the article pointed out that “the kids have to be monitored for side effects like iron overload, which is very common.” It was also explained that “excess iron in the blood is potentially dangerous because the mineral can damage organs, and it may require treatment with special drugs that draw excess iron from the blood.

Steinberg did feel that the study was not long enough and that there needs to be more testing for both long and short term side effects.

If you would like to learn more about the study head to: http://www.nursingknowledge.org/nursing-news/blood-transfusions-may-cut-risk-of-silent-stroke-in-kids-with-sickle-cell

or head to the link below for another view on the issue:

 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-08/nion-mbt081814.php

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