title: Factors Associated with Growth Retardation in Children Suffering from Sickle Cell Anemia: First Report from Central Africa.
abstract: Background. The aim of this study was to investigate and determine the risk factors associated with poor growth among SCA children.Methods.A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa, the capital's country. The nutritional status was assessed using the Z scores of the anthropometric indices.Results.We gathered data on the 256 patients, 138 females (53.9%), who entered the study. The mean age at presentation was 8.4 ± 4.9 years of age. Underweight, stunting, and wasting were found, respectively, in 47.7%, 10.5%, and 50.3% of SCA children. A history of hand-foot syndrome, more than 3 blood transfusions, being less than 12 months of age when receiving the first transfusion, more than two severe sickle crises per year, a medical history of severe infections, and the presence of hepatomegaly were associated with poor growth. When comparing sickle cell patients under 12 years of age (n= 159) to a group of 296 age-matched children with normal Hb-AA, a significantly higher proportion of subjects with stunting and underweight were found among SCA.Conclusion.Nutritional status encountered in Congolese sickle cell children has been described for the first time in this study. A high prevalence of poor growth in SCA children was found in our study.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Haemato-Oncology and Nephrology, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: Aimé
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5396-5223
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lukusa Kazadi
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Haemato-Oncology and Nephrology, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: René Makuala
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ngiyulu
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Haemato-Oncology and Nephrology, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: Jean Lambert
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gini-Ehungu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: Jean Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mbuyi-Muamba
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Haemato-Oncology and Nephrology, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: Michel Ntetani
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7479-1170
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Aloni