title: [The importance of sickle cell anemia in a pediatric environment in Gabon].
abstract: According studies run during four years (1992-1995) in the Pediatric Unit of Libreville Hospital, to determine importance and features of sickle-cell disease in children in Gabon, profit and mode of regular follow-up, data of hospitalisation and management of children with sickle-cell disease were found as follow: Sickle-cell disease is third rank of admission motivations (13% of total admissions), and first after 4 years. Mortality is 8.4% of total mortality. Main causes of hospitalisation were acute anemia, painful crisis, and bacterial infections. Half of children had no medical follow-up, third was regularly checked, the remaining very irregularly, 80% of died children had no medical follow-up. A survey with an ambulatory taking-care which concerned 210 kids regularly checked, shows theses outcomes: the social families background was either medium or disavow. More than half of children were detected before one year, mainly by complication. Third had splenomegaly, 70% hepatomegaly and 40% were icteric. Based on 103 children tested for HIV, only 2 were found positive, but 22% were positive for HBs Ag. Growth, puberty and school retardation is a supplementary social handicap. A comparative with other cohorts must headlight genetic and personal environing matters. Unit of management of sickle-cell disease, annexed to a Pediatric Unit, provided that official acknowledgement, seems to be the best solution, as regards cost/efficiency, in the local context.
authors.affiliation: Service de pédiatrie B, Centre Hospitalier de Libreville, Gabon.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thuilliez
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vierin
mesh_terms: D000350:Africa, Central; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics