Pediatric blood & cancer
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Pediatric blood & cancer · Aug 2011
Neurocognitive deficits in children with sickle cell disease are associated with the severity of anemia.
Although neurocognitive deficits in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) have been well documented, the etiology of these deficits has not been completely clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of laboratory markers of disease severity and radiological parameters with neurocognitive functioning in children with SCD. ⋯ Neurocognitive deficits are associated with the severity of anemia, indicating reduced oxygen delivery to the brain as an etiological mechanism. This implies that children with SCD and normal MRIs may still suffer from neurocognitive impairments, possibly affecting their academic development and full participation in society.