Trace elements in sickle cell disease

Abstract

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) and Proton-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis (employed as a complementary technique) have been used to determine the concentration of 11 elements in blood samples and its components erythrocytes and plasma obtained, from three groups of subjects in Nigeria viz: sickle cell anaemia (SCA) subjects, subjects with sickle cell trait and normal control subjects. The results suggest that SCA subjects have significantly higher concentrations of Na, Cl, Ca and Cu in their whole blood and erythrocytes and a higher concentration, of Cl and Cu in their plasma relative to the control subjects. Furthermore, a significantly lower concentration of K, Fe, Zn, Se, Br and Rb were found in the whole blood and erythrocytes of the SCA subjects as compared to the controls while the concentration of K and Fe in the plasma of the SCA subjects were however, found to be significantly higher than that of the control group. The study also shows that there was no significant differences between the concentration of these 11 elements in the group with sickle cell trait and the normal control group.