Vitamin D Deficiency In Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease Correlates with Reticulocytosis but Not with Clinical Disease Severity

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 4820-4820
Author(s):  
Amanda C Winters ◽  
Rebecca Kruse-Jarres ◽  
Julie Kanter

Abstract Abstract 4820 Vitamin D deficiency is an established phenomenon in both adult and pediatric patients with sickle cell disease. Between 33% and 78% of children and between 60% and 100% of adults with sickle cell disease (HbSS, HbSC, and HbSβ-thalassemia) have been found to have low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the form most clinically useful for measuring total body levels of vitamin D. Proposed factors contributing to low vitamin D levels in these patients include decreased exposure to sunlight secondary to chronic illness and frequent hospitalizations, malnutrition or malabsorption of vitamin D, higher requirements for vitamin D in sickle cell disease, and impaired metabolism of vitamin D. However, very little data has been published demonstrating a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and burden of disease in patients with sickle cell disease. In addition, there is no published data regarding the effect of vitamin D supplementation on patient-oriented outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (ages 0–18 years) to evaluate their serum vitamin D levels as a function of red blood cell turnover, patient's age, and factors relating to burden of disease such as number of emergency room visits and hospital admissions related to vaso-occlusive crises. As expected, we found that essentially all of our patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D at baseline. Although no correlation was seen between vitamin D levels and either age or number of hospital visits related to pain crises, reticulocytosis was significantly correlated (p=0.017) with degree of vitamin D deficiency in our patient population in multiple regression analysis. Based on these preliminary data, vitamin D deficiency in patients with sickle cell disease is more likely the result of the disease process as measured by red blood cell turnover as opposed to the previously hypothesized environmental constraints associated with pain crises and frequent hospitalization. Future analysis will be directed at confirming these findings in adult patients and at evaluating the effects of vitamin D supplementation in both adult and pediatric sickle cell patients. Additional studies should also evaluate the pathogenesis of vitamin D deficiency in states of high red blood cell turnover. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 1385-1385
Author(s):  
Jin Han ◽  
Santosh L. Saraf ◽  
Taimur Abbasi ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Robert E. Molokie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is highly prevalent among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Although little is known about the risk factors for VDD in SCD, it has been shown that VDD is associated with chronic pain, bone fragility, and pulmonary function in SCD. In this study we investigated the potential clinical predictors for VDD in patients with SCD. Method: In a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis, a total of 167 adults with SCD treated at the University of Illinois Medical Center with a baseline 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) measurement were screened. Clinical variables were recorded from a clinic visit at least four weeks from a vaso-occlusive pain episode or red blood cell transfusion. Statistical association between 25-OHD and other clinical parameters were investigated. Results: After stratifying the patients based on 25-OHD levels, we observed the median age was significantly younger in patients with lower 25-OHD levels (Table 1). When analyzing different age groups by Kruskal Wallis analysis, 25-OHD levels were significantly elevated in patients ≥ 40 years old (Figure 1). When using Spearman correlation analysis, the 25-OHD levels as a continuous variable positively correlated with increasing age (p<0.001); they also showed a significant negative relationships with creatinine clearance, total bilirubin, platelet count, and white blood cell count (Table 2). Using ordinal logistic regression, age was an independent predictor of 25-OHD levels, as a three-categorical variable, in SCD (OR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.38 – 0.81; p =0.002) after adjusting for gender, creatinine clearance, and vitamin D supplementation (Table 3), which means that younger patients has higher chance of VDD. In the patients with VDD (25-OHD <20 ng/mL), weekly supplementation with oral ergocalciferol (50,000 units for twelve weeks) substantially improved 25-OHD levels (9.9 vs 23.7 ng/mL, p<0.0001, N=24). During a median of 40-month follow-up (range 0 to 96 months), thirteen patients died, but the log rank test or multivariate Cox regression analysis failed to show statistical significance between 25-OHD levels and mortality after adjusting ESRD and baseline vitamin D supplementation, likely due to a short follow-up period and a small sample size. Summary: Lower 25-OHD levels were associated with younger age in patients with SCD, especially patients younger than 40 years old. One possible explanation is that lower 25-OHD levels may be linked to higher mortality in SCD, but future research is needed to clarify the association between VDD and mortality in SCD. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3089-3089
Author(s):  
Latika Puri ◽  
Nicole M Alberts ◽  
Guolian Kang ◽  
Juan Ding ◽  
Jane S Hankins ◽  
...  

Abstract Background/Aims: Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at high risk for vitamin D deficiency due to dark skin color, limited physical activity, poor nutrition, and renal dysfunction. In smaller retrospective studies, vitamin D deficiency in SCD was associated with increased frequency of acute pain events and higher opioid use, however the impact of vitamin D deficiency on pain related patient reported outcomes has not been described . Supplementation with high dose vitamin D is shown to be associated with fewer pain days per week and higher physical activity scores in patients with chronic pain. Thus, the objective of our study was to evaluate relationship between vitamin D levels, acute health care utilization and self-reported pain among children with SCD. We hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increase health care utilization for pain and patient-reported outcomes for pain. Methods: Patients with SCD (1 to 18 years of age), enrolled in Sickle Cell Clinical Research and Intervention Program (SCCRIP), at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital were included in the study (Hankins et.al., Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 2018). Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were extracted from SCCRIP database. Prospective pain event leading to a hospital visit was analyzed. We analyzed pain-related hospitalizations in two ways: the number of pain-related hospitalizations within 2 years prior to and after vitamin D measurement in a cross-sectional design and longitudinally. Generalized linear regression model was used to examine associations between vitamin D and cross-sectional pain events with adjusting for hydroxyurea use. Generalized linear mixed effect model was used to assess the associations between vitamin D and longitudinal pain events, with adjusting for SCD genotype, sex, age, hydroxyurea use and interaction between age and hydroxyurea use. Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Sickle Cell Disease Module (PedsQL™ SCD) was used to measure pain and pain interference using 1) Pain and Hurt and 2) Pain Impact scales. PedsQL™ SCD assessments include a Likert response scale. Items are reverse -scored and transformed to a 0-100 scale where higher scores indicate better health related quality of life in that scale. Two sample t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare mean scores between the two groups. Results: A total of 799 patients (females, n=398; males, n=401) were included in the study. Mean age (Standard Deviation [SD]), range at time of first vitamin D measurement for entire cohort was 8.7 (4.7), (0.8-18 years). Mean (SD) initial vitamin D level for entire cohort was 19.0 (9.4) ng/dl. Mean (SD) number of pain-related hospitalizations within two years of first vitamin D measurement was higher in the vitamin D deficient group as compared to non deficient group [0.81(1.97) vs 0.66 (1.2), (p=0.0034)]. Longitudinal data analyses showed vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased number of pain related hospitalizations (p=0.0091), after adjusting for covariates listed above (Figure 1a). Mean (SD) scores for Pain and Hurt in vitamin D deficient versus non deficient group were [74.5.7(18.2) versus 83.5(15.6), p &lt; 0.001]. Mean (SD) scores for Pain Impact in vitamin D deficient group as compared to non deficient group were [(66.7 (22.7) versus 75.5 (22.3), p &lt;0.001] (Figure 1b) Conclusion: Results indicated that low vitamin D levels predicted higher frequency of painful events leading to a hospital visit and were associated with higher prevalence of self-reported pain and pain interference. Further studies evaluating mechanisms by which vitamin D influences sickle cell pain are warranted and larger controlled trials can help evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of vitamin D for sickle cell pain. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Hankins: UpToDate: Consultancy; Bluebird Bio: Consultancy; Vindico Medical Education: Consultancy; Global Blood Therapeutics: Consultancy.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 4768-4768
Author(s):  
E. Leila Jerome Clay ◽  
Julia Brittain ◽  
Rupa Redding-Lallinger

Abstract Abstract 4768 Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency is known to be common in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Vitamin D is important in multiple aspects of health, including the cardiovascular, immune and skeletal systems and its effects are mediated through the vitamin D receptor. The systems affected by vitamin D are also perturbed by SCD. Vitamin D deficiency is common in SCD, but its contribution to disease manifestations is being investigated. Vitamin D modulates the immune response and may have an effect on the levels of increased inflammation seen in individuals with SCD. In children and young adults with SCD at UNC Hospitals, we sought to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with inflammatory markers and the influence of VDR haplotype. We report here on vitamin D status and several markers of inflammation. Methods: We recruited pediatric and young adult SCD patients in their steady state attending routine periodic evaluations at the Pediatric and Adult Sickle Cell Clinics at the University of North Carolina Hospitals between February and June 2012. After consent, patients had their blood collected for inflammatory markers, 25-OH vitamin D and DNA. Patients with active pain crisis or recent illness were excluded. A chart review was done for the last 5 years to obtain SCD genotype, baseline white blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelets, calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase. We measured inflammatory markers IL2, IL6, CD40L, TNFa, plasma VEGF and CD40L levels using ELISA (R&D Systems). At present only the VEGF and CD40L levels, along with baseline clinical laboratory data are available with the other inflammatory marker data expected shortly. Spearman's regression was used to examine potential correlations between continuous variables. A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. P-values are considered nominal and are uncorrected for multiple analyses. Results: Vitamin D levels were measured in 78 patients, ages ranging from 2 to 26 years, with 55% males. The SCD genotypes were SS and Sb°Thal at 80%, SC and Sb+Thal at 20%. Thirty percent of patients were on hydroxyurea and ten percent of patients were on chronic exchange transfusions. Severe vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/mL) was present in 18%, mild to moderate deficiency (10–24 ng/mL) in 54% and only 28% were sufficient (>25 ng/mL). VEGF mean was 110.1 pg/mL (SD 125.8). CD40L mean was 642.2 pg/mL (SD 378.2). For the group as a whole, there were no correlations between the inflammatory markers and 25-OH vitamin D levels. However, when the group who was vitamin D deficient (< 25 ng/mL) was examined (n=39), vitamin D levels were inversely correlated with platelet count (rho= −0.3596, p =0.0246). Platelet count was positively correlated with CD40L level (rho= 0.3176, p= 0.0488). VEGF and CD40L levels were positively correlated (rho= 0.4520, p= 0.0039). Vitamin D levels are negatively correlated with age (rho= −0.3794, p = 0.0172). Restricting the analyses by age and gender did not change the results, nor did removing the individuals on hydroxyurea or chronic transfusions. Discussion: As has been noted previously, vitamin D deficiency is very common in people with sickle cell disease, including this young population, with mean age of 14 years. Inflammation is common as well, as reflected by the markedly elevated CD40L levels as well as the high-normal distribution of white cell count and platelet count. VEGF levels in adults with SCD appear to be elevated although are quite variable; VEGF appears to be a marker of inflammation in this disease. Little is known about VEGF levels in children with SCD. No associations between vitamin D levels and CD40L or VEGF levels were seen, however an inverse correlation between vitamin D level and platelet count was found. As platelets are a marker of inflammation, this suggests that further investigation of the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and inflammation could be fruitful. We anticipate having data concerning vitamin D and IL2, IL6 and TNFa in this group in the near future, as well as the ability to stratify the individuals by VDR haplotype. Disclosures: Redding-Lallinger: Eli Lilly and Company: Research Funding.


2020 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
pp. 102415
Author(s):  
Brande Brown ◽  
Kathleen Long ◽  
Levon Agdere ◽  
Jolanta Kulpa ◽  
Sara Zarzoso-Fernandez ◽  
...  

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 811
Author(s):  
Camille Boisson ◽  
Minke A. E. Rab ◽  
Elie Nader ◽  
Céline Renoux ◽  
Celeste Kanne ◽  
...  

(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to compare oxygen gradient ektacytometry parameters between sickle cell patients of different genotypes (SS, SC, and S/β+) or under different treatments (hydroxyurea or chronic red blood cell exchange). (2) Methods: Oxygen gradient ektacytometry was performed in 167 adults and children at steady state. In addition, five SS patients had oxygenscan measurements at steady state and during an acute complication requiring hospitalization. (3) Results: Red blood cell (RBC) deformability upon deoxygenation (EImin) and in normoxia (EImax) was increased, and the susceptibility of RBC to sickle upon deoxygenation was decreased in SC patients when compared to untreated SS patients older than 5 years old. SS patients under chronic red blood cell exchange had higher EImin and EImax and lower susceptibility of RBC to sickle upon deoxygenation compared to untreated SS patients, SS patients younger than 5 years old, and hydroxyurea-treated SS and SC patients. The susceptibility of RBC to sickle upon deoxygenation was increased in the five SS patients during acute complication compared to steady state, although the difference between steady state and acute complication was variable from one patient to another. (4) Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that oxygen gradient ektacytometry parameters are affected by sickle cell disease (SCD) genotype and treatment.


Lab on a Chip ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuncheng Man ◽  
Debnath Maji ◽  
Ran An ◽  
Sanjay Ahuja ◽  
Jane A Little ◽  
...  

Alterations in the deformability of red blood cells (RBCs), occurring in hemolytic blood disorders such as sickle cell disease (SCD), contributes to vaso-occlusion and disease pathophysiology. However, there are few...


2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tay S. Kennedy ◽  
Ellen B. Fung ◽  
Deborah A. Kawchak ◽  
Babette S. Zemel ◽  
Kwaku Ohene-Frempong ◽  
...  

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