The Effect of Splenectomy on Whole Body Protein Turnover in Homozygous Sickle Cell Disease

In individuals with homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease, haemolysis creates a demand for increased red cell production. In children with hypersplenism haemolysis may be further increased and in such cases the excessive red cell production may be reduced by splenectomy (1). Whole body protein turnover is increased in SS disease and a large part of this increase is the consequence of increased turnover of red blood cells (2). Whole body protein turnover has therefore been measured in children with SS disease before and after splenectomy to find out if the reduction of the haemolytic rate following splenectomy was associated with a decrease in protein turnover. (AU)