Clinical and laboratory characteristics of adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease at steady state in Uganda

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with chronic systemic morbidity that extends beyond acute crises. However, data describing the clinical and laboratory characteristics of adolescents and young adults with SCD at steady state in sub-Saharan Africa are limited. We described clinical and laboratory characteristics of adolescents and young adults with SCD at steady state in Uganda. We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study of 60 adolescents and young adults with SCD in steady state at Mulago National Referral Hospital. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and medication use. The mean age was 16.5 ± 3.3 years, and 34 (56.7%) participants were female. Mean hemoglobin was 9.1 ± 2.2 g/dl. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 107.9 ± 15.5 mmHg and 60.3 ± 12.6 mmHg, respectively; mean heart rate was 89.5 ± 15.5 beats/min. Fifty-two (86.7%) participants reported using hydroxyurea. These observations show that adolescents and young adults with SCD at steady state exhibit hematologic abnormalities and distinctive hemodynamic profiles that underscore substantial chronic subclinical abnormalities that extend beyond acute complications.