The impact of sickle cell disease on oral health-related quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to characterize the impact of sickle cell disease (SCD) on oral health and examine its impact on quality of life.


METHODS
Fifty-four study subjects were recruited from the sickle cell clinic and 52 control subjects from the adolescent medicine clinic at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. A dental exam was performed to determine each participant's caries burden. The Child Oral Health Impact Profile survey was used to assess their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).


RESULTS
Most subjects in both the SCD and control groups rated their overall health and oral health as "good" or "excellent." There was no statistically significant difference in OHRQoL between these groups. Additionally, no significant relationship was found between white blood cell count, medication intake, or the number of sickle cell crises as related to the caries burden. Statistically significant differences were detected in caries burden between the control group and the sickle cell hemoglobin C disease (HbSC) group (P<.02) and between the sickle cell anemia and HbSC subjects (P=.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents with sickle cell hemoglobin C disease had fewer caries than peers with sickle cell anemia or controls, though the cause of this finding is not clear.
Pediatric dentist in private practice, Clinton Township, Mich, USA. elizabethralstrom@gmail.com.
Elizabeth
E
Ralstrom
Chair and Program Director, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Ill., USA.
Marcio A
MA
da Fonseca
Assistant professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT, The Ohio State University, Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Melissa
M
Rhodes
Associate professor, Division of Pediatric Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Homa
H
Amini
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D000986:Antisickling Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006450:Hemoglobin SC Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment
D000986:Antisickling Agents