Google
Trusted Resources: Evidence & Education
Scientific literature and patient education texts
Environmental determinants of severity in sickle cell disease
source: Haematologica
year: 2015
authors: Tewari S, Brousse V, Piel FB, Menzel S, Rees DC
summary/abstract:Sickle cell disease causes acute and chronic illness, and median life expectancy is reduced by at least 30 years in all countries, with greater reductions in low-income countries. There is a wide spectrum of severity, with some patients having no symptoms and others suffering frequent, life-changing complications. Much of this variability is unexplained, despite increasingly sophisticated genetic studies. Environmental factors, including climate, air quality, socio-economics, exercise and infection, are likely to be important, as demonstrated by the stark differences in outcomes between patients in Africa and USA/Europe. The effects of weather vary with geography, although most studies show that exposure to cold or wind increases hospital attendance with acute pain. Most of the different air pollutants are closely intercorrelated, and increasing overall levels seem to correlate with increased hospital attendance, although higher concentrations of atmospheric carbon monoxide may offer some benefit for patients with sickle cell disease. Exercise causes some adverse physiological changes, although this may be off-set by improvements in cardiovascular health. Most sickle cell disease patients live in low-income countries and socioeconomic factors are undoubtedly important, but little studied beyond documenting that sickle cell disease is associated with decreases in some measures of social status. Infections cause many of the differences in outcomes seen across the world, but again these effects are relatively poorly understood. All the above factors are likely to account for much of the pathology and variability of sickle cell disease, and large prospective studies are needed to understand these effects better.
organization: King's College Hospital, UK; Université Paris Descartes, France; Oxford University, UKDOI: 10.3324/haematol.2014.120030
read more full text
+myBinderRelated Content
-
Mental healthTreatment for depression and anxiety ...
-
Kids With Sickle Cell Anemia are More Sedentary Than Healthy Peers, Study SuggestsChildren and adolescents with sickle cel...
-
Sending a Child With Sickle Cell Disease off to CollegeSickle cell disease afflicts about 100,0...
-
Cold Weather Halloween Safety TipsIn Winnipeg, Halloween can be cold. Some...
-
Playing through sickle cellEighteen minutes in with no break, Billy...
-
Camp New Hope 2022Camp New Hope is a seven-day; six-night ...
-
Family of late MMA fighter Rondel Clark starts foundation to raise awareness about extreme weight cuttingArianne Clark had a layperson’s know...
To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
Powered by
Support for this site is provided by
This platform is made possible through a partnership with the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) and its member organizations. SCDAA's mission is to advocate for people affected by sickle cell conditions and empower community-based organizations to maximize quality of life and raise public consciousness while advancing the search for a universal cure.