scholarly journals Should Premarital Screening for Blood Disorders be an Obligatory Measure in Oman?

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Amal A. Al-Balushi ◽  
Budoor Al-Hinai

Due to the high rate of consanguineous marriages in Oman, there is a correspondingly high prevalence of hereditary blood disorders, particularly sickle cell disease and β-thalassaemia. This article proposes the possibility of implementing mandatory premarital carrier screening for blood disorders in Oman, while giving due consideration to potential social and cultural obstacles. Although the implementation of such legislation would require collaboration between different sectors and may negatively affect the autonomy of certain individuals, mandatory premarital screening would help to alleviate the burden of hereditary blood disorders on the national healthcare system, as well as reduce avoidable suffering among carriers and their families.

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...


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 870
Author(s):  
Pia Proske ◽  
Laura Distelmaier ◽  
Carmen Aramayo-Singelmann ◽  
Nikolaos Koliastas ◽  
Antonella Iannaccone ◽  
...  

Background: This monocentric study conducted at the University Hospital of Essen aims to describe maternal and fetal/neonatal outcomes in sickle cell disease (SCD) documented between 1996 to 2021 (N = 53), reflecting the largest monocentric analysis carried out in Germany. Methods/Results: 46 pregnancies in 22 patients were followed. None of the patients died. In total, 35% (11/31) of pregnancies were preterm. 15 pregnancies in eight patients were conceived on hydroxycarbamide (HC), of which nine had a successful outcome and three were terminated prematurely. There was no difference regarding the rate of spontaneous abortions in patients receiving HC compared to HC-naive patients prior to conception. In patients other than HbS/C disease, pregnancies were complicated by vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs)/acute pain crises (APCs) (96%, 23/24); acute chest syndrome (ACS) (13%, 3/24), transfusion demand (79%, 19/24), urinary tract infections (UTIs) (42%, 10/24) and thromboembolic events (8%, 2/24). In HbS/C patients complications included: VOCs/APCs (43%, 3/7; ACS: 14%, 1/7), transfusion demand (14%, 1/7), and UTIs (14%, 1/7). Independent of preterm deliveries, a significant difference with respect to neonatal growth in favor of neonates from HbS/C mothers was observed. Conclusion: Our data support the results of previous studies, highlighting the high rate of maternal and fetal/neonatal complications in pregnant SCD patients.


2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaella Colombatti ◽  
Silverio Perrotta ◽  
Piera Samperi ◽  
Maddalena Casale ◽  
Nicoletta Masera ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 1657-1661 ◽  
Author(s):  
AR Cohen ◽  
MB Martin ◽  
JH Silber ◽  
HC Kim ◽  
K Ohene-Frempong ◽  
...  

Abstract Regular red blood cell transfusions reduce the rate of recurrent cerebral infarction in sickle cell disease but lead to accumulation of excessive iron. We studied the effect on the prevention of recurrent stroke and the volume of blood transfused of a modified transfusion program in which the pretransfusion percentage of hemoglobin S (HbS) was maintained at 50%, rather than the conventional 30%. Fifteen patients with sickle cell disease and cerebral infarction who had been free of recurrent stroke for at least 4 years during which the pretransfusion HbS was maintained below 30% were assigned to a transfusion program in which the HbS was allowed to increase to 50%. Transfusion regimens included simple transfusion and manual and automated partial exchange transfusion. The duration of follow-up was 14 to 130 months with a median duration of 84 months. None of the 15 patients had a recurrent cerebral infarction during 1,023 patient- months in which the target pretransfusion HbS was 50%. Analysis of this finding, using a binomial distribution, indicates that there is less than a 5% chance that the risk per patient of recurrent stroke in the first year of the modified transfusion program is greater than 18%. One 23-year-old patient had a fatal intraventricular hemorrhage when the HbS was 30% and a 21-year-old patient had a fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the 40th week of pregnancy when the HbS was 29%. Blood requirements with simple transfusions decreased by 17% to 48% (mean 31%) when the target pretransfusion HbS level was increased from 30% to 50% (P less than .001). Manual or automated partial exchange transfusions and a target HbS level of 50% in eight patients reduced blood requirements by 33% to 99% (mean 67%) in comparison with simple transfusion and a target HbS level of 30% (P less than .001). This study offers evidence that a target pretransfusion HbS level of 50% affords a continuing high rate of protection against recurrent cerebral infarction in sickle cell disease after 4 years of a conventional transfusion program. Increasing the target HbS level from 30% to 50% provides a major reduction in blood requirements and lowers the rate of iron accumulation.


Hematology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth I. Ataga ◽  
Elizabeth S. Klings

Abstract The increased survival of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) into adulthood is associated with an increased incidence of multiorgan dysfunction and a progressive systemic and pulmonary vasculopathy. The high prevalence of an elevated tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity and its association with an increased risk of death in adult patients is well established. However, there has been controversy regarding the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and its association with mortality in SCD. Multiple recently published reports demonstrate that PH as diagnosed by right heart catheterization is common in adult SCD patients, with a prevalence of 6%–11%. Furthermore, PH is associated with an increased risk of death in SCD patients. In this chapter, we provide evidence for the high prevalence of PH in SCD and its association with mortality and make recommendations for its evaluation and management. Finally, we provide the rationale for screening for this life-threatening complication in adult patients with SCD.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 3184-3184
Author(s):  
Murtadha K. Al-Khabori ◽  
Anil Pathare ◽  
Khalil Al Farsi ◽  
Mohammed Al Huneini ◽  
Salam Alkindi

Abstract Abstract 3184 Background: Osteonecrosis (ON) of the femoral and humeral heads is frequently seen in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Earlier studies reported a high prevalence of thrombophilia in patients with ON. Aims: To study the prevalence of thrombophilia in patients of SCD with ON. Methods: Case records of SCD patients with ON were retrospectively reviewed for protein S, protein C, and anti-thrombin deficiency, along with activated protein C resistance (APCR). Results: A total of sixty-three patients were identified, 35 of whom were males, with a median age of 21 years (range 15to 46). Median haemoglobin, total white cell count and platelet counts were 10 g/dL (range 7.7to 13.3), 7.5 ×109/L (range 3.4 to 16.7) and 302 ×109/L (range 72 to 1101) respectively. Twenty-eight patients were on hydroxyurea. Thrombophilia testing showed that 29% (95% confidence interval: 17–40), 47% (95% CI: 29–64) and 79% (95% CI: 65–93) of the patients had low levels of functional (<60 unit/dl), total antigenic (<70 unit/dl) and free antigenic (<70 unit/dl) protein S respectively, while 21% (95% CI: 10–31) and 67% (95% CI: 46–87) had low levels of functional (<70 unit/dl) and antigenic (<70 unit/dl) protein C respectively. In addition, 14% (95% CI: 5–23) and 22% (95% CI: 0–56) of the patients had low levels of functional (<80 unit/dl) and antigenic (<80 unit/dl) anti-thrombin levels respectively. Only 2% (95% CI: 0–5) of these patients had an abnormally low APCR (APCR ratio ≤2.3). Summary/Conclusions: Patients with SCD and ON have a high prevalence of thrombophilia. These results indicate that a prospective study with more detailed thrombophilia work-up, along with confirmatory DNA analysis, as well as a study of the role of prophylactic anticoagulation in such patients is highly warranted. Disclosures: Pathare: Sultan Qaboos University: Employment, Research Funding. Alkindi:Sultan Qaboos University: Employment, Research Funding.


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