title: Sickle cell anemia and hearing loss among children and youngsters: literature review.
abstract: Sickle cell anemia is still a significant public health issue in underdeveloped and developing countries. Sickle cell disease is one of the most common inherited diseases in Brazil. It affects mainly the mixed race population. Approximately 1 African-Brazilian child is affected with sickle cell disease for every 37,400 children born alive. Hearing loss has been considered one of the main clinical manifestations, especially in children. However, to date, there are just a hand full of studies in Brazil and the Brazilian state of Bahia has the largest African-descended population, attempting to establish the frequency of this event.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the major studies associated with the subject, published in the last twenty years in the main indexed databases.
  
  
  METHODS
  To use MEDLINE to identify the main papers published in English in medical literature, between January of 1989 and January of 2009; associating sickle cell anemia and hearing loss, with its clinical outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given that it is always possible to attempt to prevent disabilities, understanding hearing loss in children with sickle cell anemia enables to maximize quality of life and provides for a broader school attendance.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Institute of Health, (ICS-UFBA).
authors.forename: Luzia Poliana Anjos da
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Camila Vila
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Nova
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucena
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans