Epidemiological, diagnostic and evolutionary aspects of sickle cell disease in children at the University Hospital of Libreville

Introduction: The aim of this work was to determine the epidemiological and clinical aspects of children with sickle cell disease hospitalized in the pediatric department of the University Hospital of Libreville (CHUL). 

Method: This was a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study of the files of children with sickle cell SS hospitalized in the pediatric department of CHUL, a reference hospital in Libreville and Gabon, from October 2022 to September 2023. 

Results: the frequency of sickle cell patients hospitalized was 9.9% [8.8% - 11.1%]. Of the 201 files selected, 125 (62.2%) were boys, i.e. a sex ratio of 1.64. The average age of the children included was 72.3 ± 52.7 months, the minimum was 6 months and the maximum 208 months. The mothers of the hospitalized children were without gainful activity in 62.4%. The mean hemoglobin level on admission was 5.7 ± 2 g/dl. Vaso -occlusive crisis was found in 51.7%, malaria in 18.9% of cases. The mean length of hospitalization was 6.1 ± 3.9 days, bronchopneumopathies were the pathologies with the longest hospitalization durations (p<0.01). The evolution was marked by death in 1.5% of cases, these deaths were associated with a median hemoglobin level on admission of 1.9g/dl. 

Conclusion: sickle cell disease is a common cause of hospitalization in our context. The mortality rate of sickle cell patients requires an exploration of the epidemiological factors impacting the criteria on admission.