title: Demands and challenges for patients with sickle-cell disease requiring hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Allogeneic HSCT is the only curative treatment for SCD. In this study, we estimated the number of Saudi patients with SCD who are candidates for HSCT. We used the presence of overt stroke, recurrent ACS, and frequent severe pain crisis as indications for HSCT. We calculated the frequencies of these complications among a Saudi SCD cohort of 376 patients with SCD, 250 from SW and 126 from Eastern (E) provinces. We found that 59 (23.6%) of SW patients were transplant candidates compared to 22 (17.4%) from E province. It is estimated that about 61 000 patients with SCD live in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the projected number of Saudi patients with SCD who are candidates for HSCT is 10 536 patients. Of those, 2148 are children. The burden of SCD on HSCT centers in Saudi Arabia is substantial and is difficult currently to meet the demand. We recommend recruiting/training more transplant physicians and nurses, expand current capacity of centers if feasible, and open new transplant centers to make HSCT a practical therapeutic option for patients with severe SCD in Saudi Arabia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Sickle Cell Disease Research Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.|Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alsultan
authors.affiliation: King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.|Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Umm alQura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Wasil
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jastaniah
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sameera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Afghani
authors.affiliation: Maternity and Children's Hospital, Hofuf, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Muneer H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Al Bagshi
authors.affiliation: Maternity & Children's Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zaki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nasserullah
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Hospital, Hofuf, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al-Suliman
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Hospital, Hofuf, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Alabdulaali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D018579:Patient Selection; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arab-Indian haplotypeBenin haplotype; Saudi; sickle-cell disease; stem cell transplantation