Burden of neurological and neurocognitive impairment in pediatric sickle cell anemia in Uganda (BRAIN SAFE): a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) are highly susceptible to stroke and other manifestations of pediatric cerebral vasculopathy. Detailed evaluations in sub-Saharan Africa are limited.

Methods

We aimed to establish the frequency and types of pediatric brain injury in a cross-sectional study at a large SCA clinic in Kampala, Uganda in a randomly selected sample of 265 patients with HbSS ages 1-12 years. Brain injury was defined as one or more abnormality on standardized testing: neurocognitive impairment using an age-appropriate test battery, prior stroke by examination or transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocities associated with stroke risk in children with SCA (cerebral arterial time averaged mean maximum velocity ≥ 170 cm/second).

Results

Mean age was 5.5

SUBMITTER: Green NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6814102 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature