Ocular morbidity from sickle cell disease in a Nigerian cohort.
Sickle cell Retinopathy is increasingly being recognised as a cause of significant ocular morbidity and blindness in Africa south of the Sahara. This study looked for retinopathy in a cohort of 90 Nigerians with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).


METHODS
The cohort consisted of black Nigerians from the Hausa-Fulani, Ibo and Yoruba, as well as other minority ethnic groups resident in the Federal Capital Territory aged between 5-36 yr. 88 patients were SS and only 2 SC.


RESULTS
SCD related posterior lesions were seen in 22 patients (24%). Of these, 19 cases (21%) had Non Proliferative Sickle Retinopathy (NPSR) while 5 (5.6%) had Proliferative Sickle Retinopathy (PSR) in various stages of development, and 2 had both PSR and NPSR. Patients with PSR are at risk of blindness from vitreous haemorrhage and tractional retinal detachment. A 14-year-old male with arterio-venous anastomosis was the youngest with PSR while the most advanced PSR lesion was a sea fan in a 25-year-old female.


CONCLUSIONS
standard treatment consisting of photocoagulation and/or vitrectomy is not available in many eye centres in sub-Saharan Africa and steps need to be taken to improve this situation. The role of anti-sickling remedies, if any, is the subject of ongoing investigations. Our findings with NIPRISAN, a phytomedicinal preparation currently undergoing trials, will be reported subsequently.
Babalola
O E
OE
Rachel Eye Center, P O Box 4108, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.
Wambebe
C O
CO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006450:Hemoglobin SC Disease / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006988:Hyphema / Q000209:etiology*; D008028:Light Coagulation; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014821:Vitrectomy