[Mortality of children with sickle cell disease in a pediatric department in Central Africa].
BACKGROUND
Sickle cell disease is a serious public health problem in Gabon with a relatively high mortality rate.


METHODS
Charts of 23 children (nine boys, 14 girls) who died of complications from sickle cell anemia in the department of pediatrics of Owendo Pediatric Hospital (Libreville, Gabon), from January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1992, were analysed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Approximately two-thirds of the children (60.9%) were under 5 years of age. The great majority of patients were from low socio-economic standard families. Of 319 deaths observed during the study period, 23 were due to sickle cell disease-associated complications, for an overall mortality rate of 7.2% and a related mortality of 3.6%. Commonest causes of deaths were severe anemia (11 cases, i.e., 47.8%), which affected predominantly the younger patients between 6 months and 5 years (eight cases), infections (30.4%) and blood transfusion complications (21.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
To decrease these mortality rates, appropriate health supervision and well-designed preventive strategies are needed.
Koko
J
J
Service de pédiatrie générale, hôpital pédiatrique d'Owendo (HPO), Libreville, Gabon.
Dufillot
D
D
M'Ba-Meyo
J
J
Gahouma
D
D
Kani
F
F
D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D011203:Poverty; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors