title: Steady state hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume in homozygous sickle cell disease patients in Lagos, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder of hemoglobin causing myriad of pathology including anemia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the baseline values of steady state hemoglobin and packed cell volume as a guide to managing the early recognition of hemolytic crises in sickle cell anemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among the sickle cell patients attending the Sickle Cell clinic of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. A blood sample of 4.5 ml blood was collected from each participant for hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume. All blood samples were also screened for HIV and hemoglobin phenotypes were done using cellulose acetate hemoglobin electrophoresis at pH 8.6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 98 subjects in steady state were recruited, consisting of 53 (54.1%) females and 45 (45.9%) males. The overall means were 7.92±1.49 and 24.46±4.76; a female mean of 7.73±1.45; 23.89±4.60, and a male mean of 8.14±1.54 and 25.14±4.91 were obtained for hemoglobin and packed cell volume, respectively. Sixty - nine of the 98 (70.40%) subjects have been previously transfused with blood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume in males was higher than females. The overall mean was lower than what was expected for age and sex. Over two-third of sickle cell anemia population had been transfused.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Akinsegun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akinbami
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adedoyin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dosunmu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adewumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adediran
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Lagos State University, College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olajumoke
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oshinaike
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Lagos State University, College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adebola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Phillip
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Osunkalu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Arogundade
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olanrewaju
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adelekan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oluwaseun
keywords: Homozygous sickle cell disease; Steady state; hemoglobin concentration; packed cell volume