SICKLE CELL ANEMIA: A DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT OVERVIEW

Abstract

Sickle cell disease, a genetic and hereditary condition with the highest prevalence in the black population, is characterized by a change in the morphology of erythrocytes. The objective of this study was to outline the diagnostic and treatment strategies employed in patients with Sickle Cell Anemia treated at the Hematology and Hemotherapy Center of São Luís - MA. As a methodology, a literature survey and field study were carried out, in which data were collected through questionnaires applied to patients undergoing treatment. Data analysis revealed a predominant age range between 5 and 10 years in patients with the disease, with a majority consisting of females. Regarding the diagnosis, approximately half of the participants had the condition identified early, before the first year of life, through the heel prick test. Regarding therapeutic management, it was observed that about 79% use a combination of antibiotics, analgesics and folic acid, and that 75% have already required blood transfusions. The most common clinical manifestations of the interviewed patients were severe joint pain, skin pallor, jaundice, fever, and fatigue. It was found that more than half of the patients do not live in the capital of Maranhão, who also mentioned as the main obstacles in treatment the difficulty in free access to medicines and the absence of treatment options in their cities of origin. Thus, it becomes evident the need to expand the network of Hematology and Hemotherapy Centers in Maranhão, aiming to serve the population of patients with Sickle Cell Anemia residing outside São Luís and, consequently, promote an improvement in the quality of life of these individuals