Plasma lipids and lipoproteins in Nigerian children with sickle cell anemia.

Plasma lipids and lipoproteins were estimated in 67 Nigerian children (mean age 10.19 years) with sickle cell anaemia (HbS) and 67 age- and sex-matched non-anaemic controls with normal haemoglobin (HbA). Plasma cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly lower while the plasma triglyceride level was significantly higher in the subjects with sickle cell anaemia. LDL-cholesterol levels were higher in sickle cell anaemia patients, but were not of statistical significance. These results do not support suggestions that sickle cell anaemia patients are at low risk of developing coronary artery disease.