Predictors of priapism incidence and recurrence in sickle cell disease patients

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent genetic blood disorder with a high global incidence rate. Individuals with SCD experience lifelong complications; one such recurrent complication is priapism. Given the unfavorable prognosis and the limited knowledge of patients regarding priapism, healthcare professionals need to identify factors that can aid in diagnosing priapism in SCD patients. Main body of the abstract: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using four databases, namely MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, following the PRISMA guidelines. The quality and risk of bias assessment were performed using the ROBINS-I tool (Risk Of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions) according to guidelines by the Cochrane Collaboration. The literature search yielded a total of 4434 studies, out of which six studies met the eligibility criteria. Short conclusions: The findings from the selected studies revealed that advancing age and a higher frequency of priapism episodes were significant predictors of priapism occurrence in SCD patients. These findings underscore the importance of early recognition and management of priapism in this patient population.