Abstract
Background: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) who showed abnormal transcranial duplex (TCD)abnormal velocities can be managed by regular blood transfusion for prevention of stroke. Aim of this work: To assess abnormal TCD velocities in pediatric patients with SCD with their relation to stroke and other complications using multimodal approach through clinical, neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies.
Study design: cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Sample: Department of Pediatric (Hematology Unit) and Department of Neurology, Tanta University Hospital Egypt, between April 2016 and April 2018.
Methodology: This study was conducted on 50 children with SCD and 25 healthy children matched age and sex. All subjects were subjected to full history taking, neurologic examination using pediatric neurological sheet, neuroimaging including: CT and /or MRI, MRA and/or CT angiography, also MRV, transcranial duplex, EEG and Stanford-Binet Intelligence scales-Fifth Edition.
Results: SCD patients showed many abnormalities on neurological examination and on different modalities of MR imaging on the brain with positive relation with many risk factors. Prophylactic blood transfusion in SCD patients with abnormal TCD had a role in reducing the incidence of stroke.
Conclusion: There was variation in neurological presentation, examination and brain imaging in cases with SCD. There was positive relation between regular blood transfusion in SCD patients and decreased risk for ischemic stroke and abnormal TCD velocity in these patients.
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