Amanda Crow1. 1. The Children's Hospital at Westmead Cnr Hawkesbury Rd Hainsworth St Westmead New South Wales 2145 Australia.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive, inherited disorder of haemoglobin. Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk of vascular occlusions. If this occurs in the brain, it can result in stroke. Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability in children with SCD.Transcranial Doppler (TCD) has been shown to accurately predict those children at risk of stroke so appropriate preventative treatment can commence. METHOD: TCD screening with a non-imaging Doppler machine to assess stroke risk has been in operation at our institution for 5 years. Eighty-eight patients attending the haematology clinic for SCD are scanned annually. If abnormal velocities are found, repeat scans are performed at close interval to ensure results are reproducible. RESULTS: No child has had a stroke since the start of our screening. Seven of the eighty-eight patients have shown high velocities on annual screening. CONCLUSION: The introduction of a TCD programme at out institution has identified children at risk of stroke so they can be closely monitored and potentially receive prophylactic treatment.
INTRODUCTION: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive, inherited disorder of haemoglobin. Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk of vascular occlusions. If this occurs in the brain, it can result in stroke. Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability in children with SCD.Transcranial Doppler (TCD) has been shown to accurately predict those children at risk of stroke so appropriate preventative treatment can commence. METHOD: TCD screening with a non-imaging Doppler machine to assess stroke risk has been in operation at our institution for 5 years. Eighty-eight patients attending the haematology clinic for SCD are scanned annually. If abnormal velocities are found, repeat scans are performed at close interval to ensure results are reproducible. RESULTS: No child has had a stroke since the start of our screening. Seven of the eighty-eight patients have shown high velocities on annual screening. CONCLUSION: The introduction of a TCD programme at out institution has identified children at risk of stroke so they can be closely monitored and potentially receive prophylactic treatment.
Authors: R J Adams; V C McKie; L Hsu; B Files; E Vichinsky; C Pegelow; M Abboud; D Gallagher; A Kutlar; F T Nichols; D R Bonds; D Brambilla Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1998-07-02 Impact factor: 91.245