Sean is a 20-year-old African American college student who has sickle cell disease. He has lived with this disorder as long as he can remember. His episodes are getting more frequent
a. Discuss this disorder, the type of anemia, how it affects the blood cells, and who is affected.
b. When do symptoms start to occur?
c. What happens during a sickle cell crisis?
d. What treatment is recommended during a crisis?
Students' answers should include the following:
a. Type of anemia affecting erythrocytes
Genetic disorder affecting African Americans, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean people
Affected person must inherit both genes to have disease; only have trait with one gene
Red blood cells become crescent-shaped and clump together.
b. Affects children after 6 months of age; intrauterine fetal hemoglobin is present until then
Chronic anemia and vascular occlusion develop.
Heart dysrhythmias, liver and spleen damage, and dyspnea occur.
c. Symptoms include severe pain, ischemia, stroke, renal failure, and pulmonary infarction. This is due to the red blood cells clumping together, blood thickening and making it difficult to pass through the vessels. Vascular occlusion and chronic anemia develop due to the distorted shape of the red blood cells, lack of oxygen, etc.
d. Supportive treatment only; fluids, pain management, and blood transfusions
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