Abstract
Stroke is a traumatic complication in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) that is associated with significant morbidity and a risk of recurrent overt stroke of 2·2-6·4 events per 100 patient-years. A retrospective study was performed on all paediatric SCA patients diagnosed with a history of overt stroke between 1997 and 2010. A total of 31 children with SCA had new onset overt stroke. The mean age of the active patients (n = 27) was 17·9 years (range 6·8-27·6 years) with a total period of observation of 305 patient-years. Twenty-two of 27 (81%) were receiving long term red blood cell transfusions and 16 (59%) were taking the anti-platelet agent, aspirin, since diagnosis of the stroke. Two of 27 (7%) patients had a second overt stroke with an overall risk of recurrent stroke of 0·66/100 patient-years (one stroke was ischaemic and the other haemorrhagic). In patients taking aspirin with 180 patient-years of follow up, the recurrence rate of haemorrhagic stroke was 0·58/100 patient-years. We have an excellent outcome for overt stroke in paediatric SCA patients with a low rate of recurrent stroke. Further studies are needed to determine the risk-benefit ratio of aspirin therapy in the prevention of recurrent stroke in paediatric SCA.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 707-713 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | British journal of haematology |
Volume | 165 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Aspirin
- Platelet
- Sickle cell anaemia
- Stroke
- Survival
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hematology