Cardiovascular System Abnormalities in Sickle Cell Anaemia: Clinical Findings in Steady State Adult Nigerian Patients

Aim and objective: This study was aimed at examining the cardiovascular clinical features in steady state adult Nigerian sickle cell anaemia patients. Method: The study subjects were drawn from adult patients (age ≥ 18 years), attending the adult sickle cell clinics who had haemoglobin genotype SS on haemoglobin electrophoresis and were in steady state. Age and sex matched normal subjects served as controls. All subjects were evaluated for symptomatology of cardiovascular disease with the aid of a questionnaire and then clinically examined to evaluate their cardiovascular status at rest. Result: Significant increase in pulse rate was found in the study subjects (87.68 ± 8.91/minute) compared with the controls (72.13 ± 6.79/minute); {p 0.5) 86.67%. Conclusion: The haemodynamic response to chronic anaemia in sickle cell anaemia results in significant cardiovascular dysfunction.