Sociodemographic and clinical aspects of patients with sickle cell disease at referral centers in Salvador, Bahia

Abstract

The centralization of care for patients with sickle cell diseases through the creation of reference centers through the Ministry of Health Ordinance No. 1,018/2005, enabled better monitoring of these patients. This study characterized the sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients with sickle cell diseases treated at reference centers in the city of Salvador. Women represented the largest portion of patients registered at the centers and were older and more educated than men. More than 90.0% of patients are single, demonstrating the difficulty of people with sickle cell disease to socialize due to the stigma of the disease. The most common clinical manifestations were pain crises and jaundice, and the most common complications were hospitalizations due to pain crises and blood transfusion. Associations were observed between sex and stroke, between genotype and lower limb ulcers and blood transfusion. A low percentage of patients with osteonecrosis (8.8%) was also observed, indicating possible underreporting. The low percentages of patients who use morphine and hydroxyurea point to the need to expand the offer of these drugs to reduce pain crises and improve the quality of life of patients.