Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle-cell disease is a general term for a group of genetic disorders caused by sickle hemoglobin. In many forms of the disease, the red blood cells change shape, usually looking much like that of a banana, upon deoxygenation because of polymedrization of the abnormal sickle hemoglobin. This process damages the red blood cell membrane, and can cause the cells to become stuck in blood vessels. This deprives the downstream tissues of oxygen and causes ischemia and infarction. The disease is chronic and lifelong. Individuals are most often well, but their lives are punctuated by periodic painful attacks. In addition to periodic pain, there may be damage of internal organs, such as stroke. Lifespan is often shortened with sufferers living to an average of 40 years. Sickle-cell disease occurs more commonly in people from parts of the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria is or was common, but it also occurs in people of other ethnicities.

Patients with sickle cell anemia can have symptoms that vary in severity, with typical hemoglobin levels of 6-9 g/dl. Reticulocyte counts are elevated, reflecting new red blood cells replacing the rapidly destroyed older cells - red blood cell life span is markedly reduced in this disease. Often, the white blood cell and platelet counts are elevated, and these cells may contribute to vaso-occlusion.

...More at Wikipedia 

Related Links:

• US National Library of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic

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