Prevalence and determinants of pulmonary hypertension in adults aged ≥30 years with sickle cell disease in Senegal, West Africa

: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive and potentially life-threatening complication of sickle cell disease (SCD), affecting approximately 2–5% of patients. However, echocardiography-based studies suggest a prevalence of up to 30%, indicating a substantial burden of morbidity. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PH and identify associated factors in SCD patients aged 30 years and older. We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study including SCD patients aged ≥30 years who were routinely followed over a 6-month period. PH was systematically assessed using Cardiac Doppler Ultrasound (CDU) in all participants. A total of 118 patients were enrolled. The prevalence of PH was 30.5%. The mean age was 43 ± 10 years, and 66.7% were female. The SS genotype accounted for 91.6% of cases. Severe anemia was present in 16.7% of patients and was significantly associated with PH (p=0.029). Dyspnea on exertion was observed in 55.5% of patients with PH, with a mean hemoglobin level of 7.8 ± 1.9 g/dL. Echocardiography revealed left atrial dilatation in 83.3% of PH patients. The mean indexed cardiac output was 3.8 ± 0.86 L/min/m 2 , with hypercardiac output significantly associated with PH (41.7%, p=0.01). PH was also associated with age (p=0.036), kidney disease (p=0.01), recurrent acute chest syndrome (>3 episodes/year, p=0.01), prominent P2 heart sound (p=0.03), and dilation of the left atrium (p=0.03) and left ventricle (p=0.003). PH is common in adults with SCD. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters may facilitate early detection, supporting systematic screening to improve quality of life and survival