Acute chest syndrome in sickle-cell trait; Two case reports in persons of Mediterranean origin and review of the literature.
Sickle-cell trait has been characterized as a benign condition. However, life-threatening complications sometimes develop. Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is usually described in homozygous sickle cell disease, but it rarely develops in individuals with sickle-cell trait. Two cases of ACS in patients with sickle-cell trait are reported here. Factors such as advanced age at the time of presentation and absent past medical and family history can be misleading. Although ACS in sickle-cell trait has thus far only been reported in persons of Afro-American origin, persons of Mediterranean origin can, on rare occasions, also experience the syndrome.
Academic Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Spyros P.
SP
Dourakis
Alexandra
A
Alexopoulou
Constantin
C
Papageorgiou
Andreas
A
Kaloterakis
Stephanos J.
SJ
Hadziyannis