Open AccessStroke in sickle cell disease in Africa: Case report
Author(s) -
Julie Makani
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
east african medical journal
Language(s) - Slovenian
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.102
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 0012-835X
DOI - 10.4314/eamj.v81i12.9253
Subject(s) - medicine , asymptomatic , stroke (engine) , disease , transcranial doppler , cortical blindness , pediatrics , stenosis , incidence (geometry) , psychological intervention , blindness , intensive care medicine , surgery , optometry , psychiatry , mechanical engineering , physics , optics , engineering
Stroke, including asymptomatic cerebrovascular events, is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease, occurring with an incidence of 10 to 25%. Extensive research has established that cerebral stenosis, involving the circle of Willis, is the most common mechanism in children. We report a child with sickle cell disease who presented with cortical blindness and right-sided hemiplegia. Computerised tomography of the brain revealed an infarct involving the left parietal region and extending to the occipital region. Stroke in SCD is multifactorial, but high-risk individuals can be identified by simple well-established strategies such as transcranial doppler ultrasonography. There are approaches for both primary and secondary interventions, which have been shown to be effective and need to be incorporated into management guidelines for SCD patients. Before schemes are recommended into health care policies, research in the appropriate setting is required.