• C S Nwosu, C A Nri-Ezedi, C Okechukwu, T O Ulasi, E O Umeh, U R Ebubedike, M E Aronu, A L Obi-Nwosu, A O Odita, N V Agu, S C Ngonadi, N C Emedike, K M Uke, and A C Emegoakor.
• Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
• Niger J Clin Pract. 2023 Dec 1; 26 (12): 186118671861-1867.

BackgroundSickle cell anemia (SCA) is a hereditary blood disorder with global prevalence, including in Nigeria. Despite advancements in SCA care management, understanding the long-term impact on organs during steady state has remained inconclusive.AimThis study aimed to investigate the long-term changes in intra-abdominal organs of SCA children compared with non-SCA children during steady state using two-dimensional ultrasound assessment.Materials And MethodsA total of 116 children (58 SCA and 58 controls) were enrolled between June 2021 and July 2022. Clinico-demographic data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Two-dimensional ultrasound was used to measure the liver, spleen, kidneys, and inferior vena cava in all subjects. Age-matched controls had AA or AS genotypes.ResultsOf the 58 patients with SCA, 65.5% were males with an overall mean age of 8.1 ± 3.4 years, while among the non-SCA cohort (n = 58), 48.3% were males with an overall mean age of 8.7 ± 3.9 years. There was no statistically significant difference in the age and gender distribution between the SCA and non-SCA cohorts (P = 0.390 and P = 0.091, respectively). SCA subjects had a larger mean hepatic size than non-SCA subjects (12.09 cm ± 2.23 vs. 11.67 cm ± 1.96; P = 0.276) but smaller mean splenic size (8.01 cm ± 1.89 vs. 8.19 cm ± 1.61; P = 0.577) and inferior vena cava diameter (1.16 cm ± 0.29 vs. 1.25 cm ± 0.33; P = 0.100). Left kidney length and breadth were significantly greater in SCA patients (8.91 ± 1.16 vs. 8.27 ± 1.30; P = 0.006 and 4.15 ± 0.92 vs. 3.79 ± 0.48; P = 0.008, respectively).ConclusionThis study highlights the utility of two-dimensional ultrasound assessment in monitoring intra-abdominal organ changes in SCA children, suggesting its cost-effective benefits in monitoring health outcomes in SCA patients.Copyright © 2023 Copyright: © 2023 Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.

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