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Sickle cell anemia - Symptom

Alternative Names

Anemia - sickle cell; Hemoglobin SS disease (Hb SS); Sickle cell disease

Symptoms:

Common symptoms include:

Attacks of abdominal pain
Bone pain
Breathlessness
Delayed growth and puberty
Fatigue
Fever
Jaundice
Paleness
Rapid heart rate
Susceptibility to infections
Ulcers on the lower legs (in adolescents and adults)

The patient may also have:

Bloody urine (hematuria)
Chest pain
Excessive thirst
Frequent urination
Painful erection (priapism; this occurs in 10 - 40% of men with the disease)
Poor eyesight/blindness
Strokes
Skin ulcers

Signs and tests:

Tests commonly performed to diagnose and monitor patients with sickle cell anemia include:

Patients with sickle cell may have abnormal results on certain tests, as follows:

Amount of oxygen in the blood may be decreased
CT scan or MRI may show strokes in certain circumstances
Elevated bilirubin
High serum creatinine
High serum potassium
High white blood cell count
Peripheral smear displays sickle cells
Serum hemoglobin will be decreased
Urinary casts or blood in the urine

Red blood cells, sickle cell

Red blood cells, normal

Red blood cells, multiple sickle cells

Red blood cells, sickle cells

Red blood cells, sickle and pappenheimer

Formed elements of blood

Blood cells

Reviewed last on: 6/10/2008
James R. Mason, MD, Oncologist, Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program and Stem Cell Processing Lab, Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Lee MT, Piomelli S, Granger S, et al. Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP): extended follow-up and final results. Blood. Aug 1, 2006;108(3):847-52.

Mehta SR, Afenyi-Annan A, Byrns PJ, Lottenberg R. Opportunities to improve outcomes in sickle cell disease. Am Fam Physician. 2006 Jul;15;74(2):303-10.

Saunthararajah Y, Vichinsky EP, Embury SH. Sickle cell disease. In: Hoffman R, Benz Jr. EJ, Shattil SJ, Furie B, Cohen HJ, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingston;2005;chap 37.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Newborns: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. Sep 2007:AHRQ Publication No. 07-05104-EF-2.

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