Haemorrheologic and fibrinolytic activities of HbSS, HbAS and HbAA subjects in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Three quarters of sickle-cell cases occur in Africa. A recent WHO report estimated that around 2% of newborns in Nigeria were affected by sickle cell anaemia, giving a total of 150,000 affected children born every year in Nigeria alone. The carrier frequency ranges between 10 and 40% across equatorial Africa, decreasing to 12% on the North African coast and <1% in South Africa. Our aim was to determine the haemorrheologic and fibrinolytic activities of HbSS, HbAS and HbAA subjects in a view to provide information on the status of the activities for proper management. One hundred and seventy (170) subjects were used for this study; 50 were sickle cell (HbSS) patients, 60 were hemoglobin S carriers (HbAS) and the remaining 60 were normal haemoglobin (HbAA) individuals (control group) seen within a six-month period in Abuja, Nigeria had their blood samples analyzed. Haemoglobin electrophoresis, euglobulin lysis time, fibrinogen level, plasma viscosity, haemoglobin and platelet count were determined using standard methods. The mean age (years) of subjects studied were 8.23±1.24, 12.7±1.07 and 13.50±1.46 for HbSS, HbAS and HbAA, respectively. RPV, PLT and FIB concentration of HbSS were significantly raised while Hb level were reduced when compared with HbAA and AS subjects (p<0.05). However, the mean values for HbAS and AA subjects fell within the reference value. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the mean values of ELT for HbAA, AS and SS subjects in this study as they all fall within the reference range. The result shows that there were no significant changes in all the parameters studied based on gender. There was a significantly high RPV and fibrinogen in HbSS patients and reduced level of Hb concentration and platelet count when compared to HbAS and HbAA subjects. Therefore it is recommended that regular check-up and that fibrinogen assay and relative blood viscosity should be included as routine tests in the management of sickle cell anaemia patients.