Neurological complications of sickle cell anemia in Nigerian Africans--a case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the neurological complications associated with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) in Nigerians and evaluate the relative frequencies.


METHODS
Six-hundred-thirteen patients with SCA attending outpatient clinics of Lagos University Teaching Hospital and 616 control subjects were evaluated using a uniform structured questionnaire to determine the occurrence of neurological complications. The relative frequencies of neurological abnormalities in patients and controls were compared.


RESULTS
Neurological abnormalities occurred in a significantly higher percentage of patients (76%) compared to controls (32.1%). Among children, these abnormalities included stroke, febrile seizures and headache. Among adolescents and adults, the abnormalities included paraplegia, epileptic seizures and localized sensory neuropathy. Headache occurred in a significantly higher percentage in children and adolescents compared to controls, but not in adults.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that SCA is associated with neurological complications: stroke and febrile seizures in children, epileptic seizures, paraplegia and localized sensory neuropathy in adolescents and adults, headache in children and adolescents. Detailed studies of each of these complications would be required to provide further insight into their significance.
Kehinde
Michael O
MO
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria. mo_kehinde@yahoo.com
Temiye
Edamisan O
EO
Danesi
Mustapha A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D009443:Neuritis; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010264:Paraplegia; D003294:Seizures, Febrile; D020521:Stroke; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires