Bacteraemia in sickle cell anaemia is associated with low haemoglobin: a report of 890 admissions to a tertiary hospital in Tanzania. (17th June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Makani, Julie; Mgaya, Josephine; Balandya, Emmanuel; Msami, Khadija; Soka, Deogratias; Cox, Sharon E.; Komba, Albert N.; Rwezaula, Stella; Meda, Elineema; Muturi, David; Kitundu, Jesse; Fegan, Gregory; Kirkham, Fenella J.; Newton, Charles R.; Snow, Robert W.; Lowe, Brett
• Is Part Of: British journal of haematology. Volume 171:Number 2(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 273
• Page End: 276
• Publication Date: 2015-06-17
• Subjects: Hematology -- Periodicals; Blood -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.15
• DOI: 10.1111/bjh.13553
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1048

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjh13553-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Bacteraemia is a leading cause of morbidity in sickle cell anaemia (SCA), but information from studies in Africa is limited. We evaluated 890 admissions from 648 SCA patients at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania. Bacteraemia was present in 43 admissions (4·8%); isolates included <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> (12/43; 28%), non‐Typhi <italic>Salmonella</italic> (9/43; 21%), <italic>Streptococcus pneumoniae</italic> (3/43; 7%) and <italic>Salmonella</italic> Typhi (2/43; 5%). Compared to SCA patients without bacteraemia, SCA patients with bacteraemia had significantly lower haemoglobin [71 g/l vs. 62 g/l, odds ratio 0·72 (95% confidence interval 0·56–0·91), <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0·01]. Further exploration is needed of the relationship between anaemia and bacterial infections in SCA in Africa.</p> </abstract>