Abdominal ultrasound in adult sickle cell patients

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) causes recurring crises that lead to changes in organs such as the spleen, liver, and kidneys, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in the Adult Haematology Clinic and the Radiology Department of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja Nigeria. Consenting SCD participants in a steady state and consenting blood donors with HbAA phenotype, representing controls were subjected to an abdominal ultrasound scan. The sizes of their spleen, liver, and kidneys were measured. Results: There were 82 participants, 41 in each group (SCD and HbAA controls). The mean age for SCD was 25.9 ± 7.49 years and for HbAA was 26.49 ± 4.35 years. In each group, there were 41 participants, comprising 19 males and 22 females. Individuals with HbAA had spleen sizes approximately one and a half times larger than those with SCD (SCD: 6.81 ± 3.83 cm, HbAA: 9.97 ± 1.11 cm, P = 0.01). Conversely, participants with SCD exhibited larger liver, right kidney, and left kidney measurements compared to those with HbAA (Liver SCD: 14.91 ± 1.60 cm, HbAA: 13.32 ± 1.56 cm, P = 1.00), (right kidney SCD: 10.52 ± 1.16 cm, HbAA: 9.92 ± 1.04 cm, P = 0.02), (left kidney SCD: 10.76 ± 1.45 cm, HbAA: 10.58 ± 1.60 cm, P = 0.53). Conclusion: The study found that SCD affects the sizes of abdominal organs, including the spleen, kidneys, and liver, compared to those without the condition.