title: Acute pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease.
abstract: Acute pulmonary problems in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients, in particular acute chest syndrome (ACS), cause significant mortality and morbidity. It is important to differentiate ACS from pneumonia to avoid inappropriate or inadequate treatment. Asthma may increase the risk of ACS and co-morbid asthma and SCD are associated with worse patient outcomes and, in preclinical models, more severe inflammation. Recurrent wheezing, however, can occur in the absence of a diagnosis of asthma; it is likely due to SCD related inflammation and additional therapies than those that treat asthma may be required. Further research is merited to clarify these issues.
authors.affiliation: Sickle Cell Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica, W.I.. Electronic address: jennifer.knightmadden@uwimona.edu.jm.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knight-Madden
authors.affiliation: Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, The MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greenough
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Acute chest syndrome; Asthma; Recurrent wheeze; Sickle cell disease