SICKLE CELL CRISIS

Course overview

SICKLE CELL DISEASE (SCD) IS A GROUP OF INHERITED RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS AFFECTING ABOUT 1 IN 500 AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN AND 1 IN 36,000 HISPANIC AMERICAN CHILDREN. SCD RESULTS IN ANEMIA AND "SICKLE CELL CRISIS" (SCC). THE MAIN CLINICAL FEATURE OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE IS THE ''ACUTE PAINFUL CRISIS,’’ WHICH OFTEN REQUIRES HOSPITALIZATION. THE TERM "SICKLE CELL CRISIS" IS USED TO DESCRIBE SEVERAL ACUTE CONDITIONS SUCH AS THE VASO-OCCLUSIVE CRISIS (ACUTE PAINFUL CRISIS), APLASTIC CRISIS, SPLENIC SEQUESTRATION CRISIS, HYPERHEMOLYTIC CRISIS, HEPATIC CRISIS, DACTYLITIS, AND ACUTE CHEST SYNDROME. OTHER ACUTE COMPLICATIONS INCLUDE PNEUMONIA, MENINGITIS, SEPSIS AND OSTEOMYELITIS, STROKE, AVASCULAR NECROSIS, PRIAPISM, AND VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF SICKLE CELL CRISIS AND DISCUSSES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING THIS CONDITION.