Pattern and Severity of Vaso Occlusive Crisis in Paediatric Sickle Cell Anaemia Patient

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) remains an inherited disease of public health significance in sub-Saharan Africa with Nigeria accounting for the significant burden of the disease globally. Acute painful crisis/event remains the hallmark of the disease with significant impact on physical and psychosocial wellbeing of both the children and the parents/caregivers despite advancement in care. The pattern and severity of acute painful event/VOC among children living with sickle cell anaemia were evaluated with a view to understand the manifestations of SCA in this group of patients. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study and involved patients who presented at the emergency room, or out-patient unit of the Paediatrics Department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba Lagos with acute painful crisis over a nine-month period (March 2015 - November 2015). Result: The participants was 8±7 years with male to female ratio of 1.1. The distribution of pain with respect to anatomic sites were the extremities extremities and other sites 27 (25.5%), abdomen 13(12.3%) and chest 12(11.3%). Sixty-six (62.3%) children with SCA presented with moderate pain intensity, 30% with severe pain intensity and 4.7% with mild pain intensity. Most of the children presented at the hospital within four days of pain onset. Conclusion : The commonest site of pain among children living with homozygous sickle cell anaemia is in the extremities. Most patients presented within the first four days of onset of pain and with moderate intensity.