Hypothetical views on some unusual disease associations with sickle cell anaemia.

Abstract

Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a disease accompanied with several complications arising mainly from vasoocclusion and haemolysis. There are also complications of infections which may occur due to defective cell mediated and humoral immunity. However, there are associations that have been observed to be unusual in children with sickle cell anaemia from anecdotal experience. These include febrile seizure, malignancies, malnutrition, cerebral malaria, tuberculosis and connective tissue disorders. There are anticipated connections between some of these illnesses and SCA. However, the fact that they do not occur commonly, raise the probability that certain yet unknown factor in the sickle cell patient may be protecting these patients against them.