The painful crisis of homozygous sickle cell disease. a study of the risk factors
Baum, K.F.; Dunn, D.T.; Maude, G.H.; Serjeant, G.R.
Archives of Internal Medicine 147(7): 1231-1234
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9926 PMID: 3606281 Document Number: 290430
Some epidemiologic features of the painful crisis in homozygous sickle cell disease were examined in a retrospective study of 995 painful crises. Previously reported associations with cold weather and pregnancy were confirmed. There was a striking increase in painful crises in male patients between the ages of 15 and 25 years, whereas female patients showed little age-related change. The frequency of painful crises correlated positively with hemoglobin levels and reticulocyte counts in both sexes and negatively with mean corpuscular volume in female patients. There was a striking increase in painful crises in male patients with hemoglobin levels above 8.5 g/dL (greater than 85 g/L). High hemoglobin levels appear to be an important risk factor for painful crises.