Assessment of serum electrolytes levels among sickle cell patients in South-Eastern Nigeria

Chisimdindu Frances Nnaji 1, Cyprian Emeka Oguji 1, *, Kelvin Nkemakonam Orji 1, Ifeoma Chinwe Ikegwuonu 1, Ifunanyachukwu Confidence Onuchukwu 4, Sheriffdeen Adedolapo Adebisi 3, Blessing Chinyere Oguzie 4, Carmilla Ijeoma Udensi 1, Nchekwube Esther Nwabuona 2, Ukeoma Genevieve Kelechi 5, Ebubechukwu Lovelyn Ofojama 1, Chisom Odinakachukwu Ofoamalu 1 and Chisom Nwabundo Okafor 1

1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria.
2 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria.
4 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.
5 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Kubwa General Hospital, FCT Abuja.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 14(03), 431–438
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.14.3.0567
 
Publication history: 
Received on 13 May 2022; revised on 16 June 2022; accepted on 18 June 2022
 
Abstract: 
Background: Sickle cell disease is a common genetic disorder mainly characterized by vascular occlusion and haemolysis and it constitutes a major public health problem. The aim of this study is to assess the serum electrolyte levels in sickle cell patients attending the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
Materials and methodology: A total of 66 subjects, ages 18 – 40 years, were recruited for this study with thirty sickle cell subjects (female = 16, Male = 14) as test subjects and thirty non-sickle cell subjects (female = 21, male = 9) as control subjects. A total of 5mls of venous blood was collected from each subject. The serum obtained from each sample was analyzed for serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate) by potentiometry using a sensacore autoanalyzer. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.
Results: Anthropometric results obtained from this study showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in mean ± SD of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) in the test subjects compared to the control subjects respectively. The electrolyte analyses showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in mean ± SD of potassium and chloride in the test subjects compared to the control subjects respectively. The control subjects have a non-significant increase (P > 0.05) mean ± SD of sodium compared to the sickle cell subjects while the sickle cell subject has a non-significant increase (P > 0.05) mean ± SD of bicarbonate compared to the control subjects. There was a positive correlation between sodium and bicarbonate, while in the other parameters; no significant correlation existed.
Conclusion: This study concludes that sickle cell anaemia subjects are predisposed to electrolyte variations, hence, the need to check these electrolyte values in sickle cell subjects. 
 
Keywords: 
Electrolytes; Haemoglobin SS; Sickle cell; Haemoglobinopathy
 
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Copyright information: 
Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0

 

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