Sickle Cell Anemia

Introduction: Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell Anemia: An inherited disorder that affects hemoglobin S which is a blood component that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen. Red blood cells become sickle shaped rather than the normal doughnut shape. Severity of symptoms are variable. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Sickle Cell Anemia is available below.

Symptoms of Sickle Cell Anemia

• Common early symptoms (usually seen first in infants):
  • Anemia
  • Fatigue
  • Pallor
  • Shortness of breath

See full list of 61 symptoms of Sickle Cell Anemia

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Sickle Cell Anemia:

• Fatigue: Related Home Tests:
  • Home Anemia Tests
  • Home Thyroid Function Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests
  • Home Calcium Deficiency Tests
  • Home HIV Tests
• Thyroid: Home Testing:
  • Home TSH Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests
• Adrenal Gland Health: Home Testing:

Medical Textbooks Online about Sickle Cell Anemia

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Sickle Cell Anemia

• Hemoglobin electrophoresis
• Routine SCA screening of newborns
• Antenatal SCA testing

Read more about tests for Sickle Cell Anemia

Wrongly Diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia?

• Misdiagnosis of Sickle Cell Anemia
• Failure to diagnose Sickle Cell Anemia
• Failure to diagnose Sickle Cell Anemia

Misdiagnosis and Sickle Cell Anemia

Cluster of diseases with difficult diagnosis issues: There is a well-known list of medical conditions that are all somewhat difficult to diagnose, and all can present in a...read more »

Rare type of breast cancer without a lump: There is a less common form of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer. Its symptoms can be an inflammation of the breast tissue,...read more »

Pituitary conditions often undiagnosed cause of symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms that can be caused by a pituitary disorder (see symptoms...read more »

Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See ...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Sickle Cell Anemia

Causes of Sickle Cell Anemia

Read more about causes of Sickle Cell Anemia.

Treatments for Sickle Cell Anemia

• Preventive antibiotics
• Preventive penicillin - especially for newborns, infants and children with SCA.
• Pain crisis treatments
  • Pain-killing drugs
  • Fluids

See full list of 17 treatments for Sickle Cell Anemia

Videos for Sickle Cell Anemia

Patient Surveys for Sickle Cell Anemia

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Sickle Cell Anemia
  Take Survey  View Results

Prognosis for Sickle Cell Anemia

Prognosis for Sickle Cell Anemia: Improving treatment has raised lifespans into the 40's and rising. Some patients suffer only mildly whereas others have severe complications.

More about prognosis of Sickle Cell Anemia

Reseach about Sickle Cell Anemia

Visit our research pages for current research about Sickle Cell Anemia treatments.

Clinical Trials for Sickle Cell Anemia

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Sickle Cell Anemia include:

• A Study of the Efficacy and Safety of ICA-17043 (With or Without Hydroxyurea) in Patients With Sickle Cell Anemia. - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - ICA-17043
• A Study Evaluating the Long-Term Safety of ICA-17043 in Sickle Cell Disease Patients With or Without Hydroxyurea Therapy - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - ICA-17043
• Nitric Oxide Inhalation to Treat Sickle Cell Pain Crises - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Nitric Oxide,INO Pulse/NO Delivery System
• Trial of Oral Glutamine in Patients With Sickle Cell Anemia - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Glutamine
• Use of Hydroxyurea and Magnesium Pidolate for Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Magnesium Pidolate, Hydroxyurea

See full list of 96 Clinical Trials for Sickle Cell Anemia

Statistics for Sickle Cell Anemia

• Medical statistics for Sickle Cell Anemia
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Sickle Cell Anemia
• Death and Mortality statistics for Sickle Cell Anemia
• Society statistics for Sickle Cell Anemia

Stories from Users Related to Sickle Cell Anemia

• Anemia - ice chewing
• Symptoms of anemia plus WAY MORE. HELP!!!
• Hair loss due to medication
• Is this anemia?....for an athlete
• anemia
• Massive Weight Loss due to Nausea
• Afraid im dying from anemia
• Sc sickle cell disease(another type?)
• hemoglobin
• Divorce due to ears
• recently developed intractable anemia
• Esophegeal Stricture due to caustic burns
• Is all due to hypothyroid?
• Is it anemia
• do you know how i got cured with this anemia?
• sickle cells
• anemia
• XP: Severe Anemia - Worried
• Severe Anemia
• Carotemia and anemia in 10 month old

Related forums and stories:

• Blood Conditions (92)
  • Anemia - ice chewing
  • small red spots on arms legs back chest
  • Low Platelets, Low white blood count
  • Magnesium Deficiency
  • tingly, heavy arms
  • More user stories

User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Sickle Cell Anemia, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Definitions of Sickle Cell Anemia:

A disease characterized by chronic hemolytic anemia, episodic painful crises, and pathologic involvement of many organs. It is the clinical expression of homozygosity for hemoglobin S. - (Source - Diseases Database)

A congenital form of anemia occurring mostly in blacks; characterized by abnormal blood cells having a crescent shape - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Sickle Cell Anemia is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Sickle Cell Anemia, or a subtype of Sickle Cell Anemia, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Sickle Cell Anemia as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet