Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF VITAMIN D LEVEL IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE, JAZAN, KSA

Eman Merghani Ali*, Nuha M E Agabna, Yahya Ali Mohamad Mashragi, Mohamed Ali Ibrahim Ageel, Shahad Hassan Essa Alsabel, Sania A. I. Shaddad

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell anaemia is a common condition among children and adolescents that can have deleterious complications, affecting the quality of life and reducing morbidity of this population. There is some evidence that vitamin D deficiency may have an influence on the incidence of complications with the disease. Objective: This study aims to assess the correlation between vitamin D levels and sickle cell anemia, including its complications among patients with sickle cell anemia in Saudi Arabia. Design and Setting: This is a cross-sectional, retrospective study that was carried out in a tertiary center in Jazan city, Saudi Arabia between may 2019 to February 2020. The study included data collection from Patients records who had sickle cell anemia. Collected data involved the type of Sickle cell disease, laboratory investigations, demographics of patients and complications due to sickle cell disease Results: 108 patient records were included. 51.9 % of the patients aged between 11 to 20 years old. Also, 61.1% were females. Mean weight of the included cohort was 34.5±12.8 Kg, while mean height was 131.6±19.2 cm. The most common type of sickle cell anemia was HbSS occurring among 91.7%, while 34.3% of the patients were on hydroxyurea treatment. As for vitamin D levels, 52.8% of the patients had severe deficiency. Complications were reported among 39.8% who had one to two pain episodes over the last two years, while 85.2% did not have any acute chest syndromes and only 16.7% were on medications that alter vitamin D levels. Number of pain episodes was significantly and positively correlated to increasing deficiency levels of vitamin D (p-value

Keywords: Vitamin D, deficiency, sickle cell disease, complications, children, Saudi Arabia.