If you’re interested in the causes of sickle cell disease, you’ve come to the right place. There’s information about symptoms, treatment, and genetics. Vaccines may also help, but you’ll need a doctor’s advice to get the most effective treatment. In this article, we’ll look at the causes of sickle cell and the underlying cause. If you’re wondering if your child has it, read on!
Symptoms
There are many symptoms of sickle cell disease. Symptoms include bleeding, anemia, and pain. In young children, sickle red blood cells may block the arteries that supply the lungs and spleen, causing splenic sequestration. This condition can cause shock and lead to a splenic sequestration crisis. Children may also experience delays in growth and sexual maturation. While most symptoms are treatable, some may be life threatening.
The primary symptom of sickle cell disease is anemia, or low levels of oxygen in the blood. Because sickle cells break up easily and die too quickly for the body to replace them, there is a shortage of oxygen in the body. The lack of oxygen causes a person to feel fatigued, with the resultant pain and discomfort. Sickle cell symptoms may also affect the eyes. Anemia can cause vision problems and painful swelling of the small bones.
Treatment
When you have sickle cells, your blood’s hemoglobin becomes low and your body breaks them down too easily. They live for ten to twenty days, whereas normal red blood cells live for 120 days. Because sickle cells break apart so quickly, they cannot be replaced as often as they should, which results in anemia. In addition, sickle cells prevent the body from producing new blood cells, causing a shortage of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
A doctor’s care for sickle cells is crucial to the recovery process and preventing further complications from occurring. Unlike other blood disorders, sickle cells are inherited and cannot be acquired later in life. This type of blood disorder affects eight out of every 100,000 people, with a higher incidence among Hispanics and African-Americans. It can cause severe infections, recurring pain, and damage to internal organs.
Genetics
Some studies have shown that the disease is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Moreover, people with sickle cell disease have an increased risk of developing this condition. They may experience heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. A study by Kodish et al. found that up to ten percent of adults have this disorder. These findings highlight the importance of genetic testing in diagnosing sickle cell disease. But genetic testing is only one of the options for treating this disease.
The HBB gene is found on chromosome 11. This gene codes for a protein called beta globin. Hemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen in red blood cells. Those with this mutation produce proteins that stick together, leading to the characteristic sickle cell shape. Genetic tests for sickle cell anemia are available at any hospital or clinic. If you suspect you have this disease, it is recommended that you visit a genetic counselor as soon as possible.
Vaccines
Many patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are hesitant to undergo vaccinations for reasons ranging from allergies to fear of needles. But doctors and health providers can help make this decision easier by implementing initiatives that increase public awareness of the disease and its vaccines. One of the most effective is the free e-Learn program of the American College of Physicians (ACIP). Project ECHO, an internationally recognized telementoring initiative, is also designed to increase health care provider knowledge.
The CDC recommends that all people with SCD receive the recommended vaccinations. This includes the PPSV23 vaccine. The vaccine protects against the bacteria responsible for SCD-causing organisms. This disease increases a person’s risk of contracting infections caused by certain bacteria, such as haemophilus influenzae type B and meningococci. The CDC recommends that children with SCD receive this vaccine as early as possible.
Stem cell transplants
There are two types of stem cell transplants: haploidentical and matched but unrelated. Haploidentical donors have a similar chromosomal makeup and are found through national organizations. Unlike matched but unrelated donors, the new cells are not rejected by the body. Patients who receive transplants will require frequent blood tests and possibly blood transfusions until their body can produce sufficient blood cells to replace the ones they have lost. In addition, transplant patients will be monitored for infection and signs of rejection, and will be advised to avoid public places until their immune system has recovered. The recovery period can take many years.
While matched unrelated donors have improved outcomes, the high risk of rejection is a potential drawback. To avoid this potential drawback, some studies are evaluating the safety and efficacy of unrelated donors. In the United States, two clinical trials have assessed the safety of haploidentical donor transplantation. The results showed that patients with matched unrelated donors experienced a higher risk of graft failure than those with matched related donors.
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