Morbidity and Mortality Associated with COVID-19 and Acute Chest Syndrome in Sickle Cell Disease Patients

Abstract

SUMMARY COVID-19 infection has emerged as a comorbidity that can significantly increase morbidity and mortality in sickle cell patients with ACS (acute thoracic/chest syndrome). The aim of our study was to assess COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality in sickle cell patients with ACS. This was a retrospective, descriptive study of patient records followed over a 36-month period from January 2020 to December 2022. The study was conducted at the national blood transfusion center in Dakar. The sex ratio (M/F) was 0.82. The median age was 26 (17–39) years. The most represented age group was between 21 and 30 years. Factors associated with death were: at baseline, SS genotype, presence of comorbidities (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, viral hepatitis B, ischemic heart disease), osteonecrosis of the femoral head, and use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) at diagnosis of COVID-19; at the diagnosis of ACS associated with COVID-19, respiratory distress, hypoxia (Sa02 < 92%), creatininemia >18.5 mg/l, CRP >192 mg/l, lymphopenia; the therapeutic modalities associated with death were: transfusion of RBCs (packed red blood cells) and curative anticoagulation. This study shows that patients with comorbidities and/or chronic complications of sickle cell disease can develop severe forms of ACS associated with COVID 19, leading to death. Other factors linked to death, notably diagnostic and therapeutic, were also identified in the course of this study.