Factors Associated with Growth Retardation in Children Suffering from Sickle Cell Anemia: First Report from Central Africa

Abstract

<i>Background</i>. The aim of this study was to investigate and determine the risk factors associated with poor growth among SCA children. <i>Methods.</i> 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. <i>Results.</i> 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 (<i>n</i> = 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. <i>Conclusion.</i> 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.