Assessment of renal function in patients with sickle cell anaemia and sickle cell trait at the Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

This study was conducted over a period of ten months from April, 1989 to February, 1990. The study included a total of 160 cases. Of these, 58 were sickle cell anaemia patients of whom 32 were females, 50 were sickle cell trait cases of whom 32 were females, and 52 were controls of whom 32 were females. The ages of the patients with sickle cell anaemia ranged between 2 years and 36 years with a mean of 15 ± 7.2 (S.D.) years, the ages of the sickle cell trait cases from 4 years to 44 years with a mean of 18.5 ± 10.3 (S.D.) years, and the ages of the controls between 4 years and 35 years with a mean of 16.5 ± 8.4 (S.D.) years. The age and sex variation between the three groups were not significant (P > 0.05). Clinical features and some biochemical indices of renal function, together with the prevalence of urinary tract infection in patients with sickle cell anaemia, sickle cell traits and controls were studied. Polyuria, nocturia, polydypsia and enuresis were noted more frequently in sickle cell anaemia patients and sickle cell trait cases than in controls, and this was statistically significant (P < 0.05) in both cases. There was no statistical difference in these clinical parameters between sickle cell anaemia patients and sickle cell trait cases. Enuresis was more common,among the younger age group in both groups, with 54% of all the sickle cell anaemia patients with enuresis and all the sickle cell trait cases with enuresis being in the age group 5 - 10 years.