Home > Medical Reference > Patient Education

Sickle cell disease - Diagnosis

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of sickle cell disease.

Alternative Names

Sickle cell anemia

Diagnosis:

Blood tests can determine whether an individual has sickle cell trait or sickle cell disease.

Screening Tests for Newborns

In the United States, hospitals routinely screen newborn babies for sickle cell disease. To perform the test, a blood sample is taken from the baby's heel using a simple needle prick. Early detection of sickle cell disease can help reduce the risk for life-threatening infections and increase the odds for survival. Babies who are diagnosed with sickle cell disease are given daily antibiotics to help prevent infections.

Prenatal diagnosis is also possible through amniocentesis. The amniotic fluid is tested for the presence of the sickle cell gene.

Diagnostic Tests for Stroke

Unfortunately, no tests can definitely determine which children are at highest risk for a stroke and, therefore, would be candidates for ongoing blood transfusions. The following are diagnostic tools currently used or under investigation:

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography measures the speed of blood flow in the brain. It can be used for identifying children at risk for stroke. However, high-risk children are still vulnerable to stroke even if the TCD screening diagnosed normal blood flow velocities.
The use of follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect small blockages in blood vessels may help confirm high risk in patients identified by TCD ultrasound.
Some patients may need to undergo angiography, an invasive diagnostic technique useful for detecting aneurysms.
Researchers are also beginning to uncover possible genetic markers that may eventually be used to help identify sickle cell patients at higher risk for stroke.

Resources

www.sicklecelldisease.org -- Sickle Cell Disease Association of America
www.nhlbi.nih.gov -- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
www.sicklecellsociety.org -- Sickle Cell Society (UK)
www.sicklecell-info.org -- NHLBI Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centers
www.clinicaltrials.gov -- Find clinical trials

References

Adams RJ, Brambilla D; Optimizing Primary Stroke Prevention in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP 2) Trial Investigators. Discontinuing prophylactic transfusions used to prevent stroke in sickle cell disease. N Engl J Med. 2005 Dec 29;353(26):2769-78.

Bernaudin F, Socie G, Kuentz M, et al Long-term results of related myeloablative stem-cell transplantation to cure sickle cell disease. Blood. 2007 Oct 1;110(7):2749-56. Epub 2007 Jul 2.

Brawley OW, Cornelius LJ, Edwards LR, Gamble VN, Green BL, Inturrisi C, et al. National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference statement: hydroxyurea treatment for sickle cell disease. Ann Intern Med. 2008 Jun 17;148(12):932-8. Epub 2008 May 5.

Caboot JB, Allen JL. Pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease in children. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2008 Jun;20(3):279-87.

de Montalembert M. Management of sickle cell disease. BMJ. 2008 Sep 8;337:a1397. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a1397.

Dunlop RJ, Bennett KC. Pain management for sickle cell disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Apr 19;(2):CD003350.

Fathallah H, Atweh GF. Induction of fetal hemoglobin in the treatment of sickle cell disease. Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2006:58-62.

Geller AK, O'Connor MK. The sickle cell crisis: a dilemma in pain relief. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008 Mar;83(3):320-3.

Gladwin MT, Vichinsky E. Pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease. N Engl J Med. 2008 Nov 20;359(21):2254-65.

Halasa NB, Shankar SM, Talbot TR, et al. Incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease among individuals with sickle cell disease before and after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Jun 1;44(11):1428-33. Epub 2007 Apr 18.

Lanzkron S, Strouse JJ, Wilson R, Beach MC, Haywood C, Park H, et al. Systematic review: Hydroxyurea for the treatment of adults with sickle cell disease. Ann Intern Med. 2008 Jun 17;148(12):939-55. Epub 2008 May 5.

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

Platt OS. Hydroxyurea for the treatment of sickle cell anemia. N Engl J Med. 2008 Mar 27;358(13):1362-9.

Roach ES, Golomb MR, Adams R, Biller J, Daniels S, Deveber G, et al. Management of stroke in infants and children: a scientific statement from a Special Writing Group of the American Heart Association Stroke Council and the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young. Stroke. 2008 Sep;39(9):2644-91. Epub 2008 Jul 17.

Singh PC, Ballas SK. Drugs for preventing red blood cell dehydration in people with sickle cell disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Oct 17;(4):CD003426.

Strouse JJ, Lanzkron S, Beach MC, Haywood C, Park H, Witkop C, et al. Hydroxyurea for sickle cell disease: a systematic review for efficacy and toxicity in children. Pediatrics. 2008 Dec;122(6):1332-42.

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

Wang WC. The pharmacotherapy of sickle cell disease. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2008 Dec;9(17):3069-82.

Reviewed last on: 2/18/2009
Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

Connect with UMMC

© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885