title: Incidence of overt and covert neurological damage in children with sickle cell disease.
abstract: We studied 25 patients with sickle cell disease (15 with HbSS; 8 with HbSC and 2 with HbS beta degree) using neurological examination as a marker of overt and computed tomographic (CT) scan as a marker of covert neurological damage. Of the 25 patients, 5 (20%) had evidence of cerebral infarcts on CT scan, but only 4 of these 5 patients had neurological signs. Neurological problems were only seen in patients with HbSS. We could not identify any haematological risk factors, but in this small group of HbSS patients a crisis rate greater than 1 per year of follow up was associated with a significant risk of neurological damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Central Middlesex Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hindmarsh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brozovic
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Brook
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed