SS Sickle Cell Disease and Severe Malaria in Children Aged 0 to 15 Hospitalized in the Pediatric Department of the Donka CHU National Hospital in Conakry, Republic of Guinea

Abstract

Introduction: The superposition of distribution maps of HbS and plasmodium falciparum is at the origin of several theories on the relationship between sickle cell disease and malaria. Objective: Determine the sociodemographic aspect and identify the main complications of SS sickle cell disease in children with severe malaria at the Donka Pediatrics Department. Methods: Prospective, descriptive study, lasting 12 months from January 01 to December 31, 2021 including all children from 0-15 years hospitalized whose diagnoses of severe malaria and SS sickle cell anemia were retained during the study period. Results: The frequency was 6.65%, The age group of 5-9 years represented 41.93% with a sex ratio (M/F) = 1.3. Frequency peaks were encountered in June, July and August (36.56%). Consanguineous marriage was found in 65.59%. Fever was present in 100% of our patients followed by osteo-articular pain (93.54%). Malaria severity criteria were represented by prostration with 81.7%, followed by anemia (77.42%), hyperparasitaemia (46.23%), respiratory distress (45.16%) and seizures (34.4%). Complications were dominated by bronchopneumopathy, osteomyelitis, dactylitis and necrosis of the femoral head. The evolution was favorable in 95.70% of cases. Conclusion: The prevalence of sickle cell disease associated with severe malaria remains high in the department with consanguinity often found. Reducing these two pathologies will necessarily involve the use of means of prevention against malaria and premarital examinations.