Abstract

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a form of haemolytic anaemia caused by an abnormal composition of the globin chains of haemoglobin. When the mutated haemoglobin is exposed to low-oxygen concentration, it polymerizes into long crystals of red blood cells giving the cell an abnormal sickled shape with extreme fragility, and less flexible erythrocytes with a reduced lifespan and various complications including inflammation and oxidative stress which has been implicated in SCD patients. This study investigated the relationship between markers of inflammatory and oxidative stress in alloimmunized sickle cell patients. Hundred participants were involved in the study; fifty SCD aged 18 to 48 from Obafemi Awolowo University Health Centre, and a control group of fifty individuals without the disease. This is a cross-sectional study undertaken at the Department of Haematology and Immunology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife Osun State, Nigeria. The samples were analysed for inflammatory and oxidative biomarkers as well as liver and kidney function tests following the manufacturer’s instructions.Biochemical parameters and inflammatory markers show a statistically significant increase (p=0.003) in the means of test groups compared to the means of the control groups for the following: SOD (pg/mL)=284.2, AST (µ/L)=46.94, ALT (µ/L)=37.0, CREAT (µmoI/L)=56.71, and Urea (µmoI/L)=3.4. A significant difference (p=0.003) between the means of CRP (ng/mL)=3.9 and TNF (pg/mL)=8.1 in the test groups compared to the control groups. Frequent transfusions in SCD serve to prevent and alleviate microcirculatory complications and the breakdown of red cells that incite inflammation and oxidative stress, potentially mimicking alloimmunization, and reducing the risk of organ damage. Oxidative and Inflammatory markers should be included in the proper monitoring of SCD patients.

Key words: Inflammatory stress markers, oxidative stress markers, multiple transfusion, sickle cell disease patients