Limiting Blood Transfusion in Sickle cell disease A Single Centre study

Garg Paridhi; Dayama Nilesh; Aggarwal Sumit; Warthe Vinit

Volume : V, Issue : XI, November - 2015

Limiting Blood Transfusion in Sickle cell disease A Single Centre study

Garg Paridhi, Dayama Nilesh, Aggarwal Sumit, Warthe Vinit

Abstract :

 Introduction: Transfusion with the blood of normal hemoglobin (AA) has the potential to relieve the symptoms and complications of SS disease. Conditions like splenic sequestration, acute chest syndrome and aplastic crisis can be fatal if not treated with blood transfusion. Present study was aimed to assess the impact of protocol limiting blood transfusion in sickle cell disease patients. Study design–Retrospective study conducted in a cohort of sickle cell patients. Methodology–Study was conducted in sickle cell centre of Government Medical College and hospital, Akola. Patients selected were registered patients at sickle cell centre. Patients were divided into two groups–first group before Jan 2011 (before implementation of protocol to limit blood transfusion in sickle cell patients) and second group after the implementation of protocol (Feb 2011 to March 2015). Result–Out of total 80 registered patients 47 (59%) were male and remaining 33 (41%) were females. Before protocol average per person–year blood transfusion was 1.55 blood transfusions/Person/Year. Similar way after implementation of protocol average per person–year blood transfusion was 0.37 blood transfusions /Person/Year. This shows blood transfusion requirement was reduced by approx 75% of previous transfusions. Rate of blood transfusion was 4.18 times more before uniform protocol implementation. Conclusion– Large numbers of sickle cell patients are treated in central India at peripheral centres and private practitioners by blood transfusion for all complaints. There is a need to create awareness among all clinicians about indications of transfusion and hazards of multiple transfusions in these patients.