Lung function abnormalities in patients with sickle cell disease in a Nigerian tertiary health centre

Abstract

Introduction: Pulmonary complications with the subsequent lung function abnormalities occur commonly among sickle cell disease (SCD) patients even while at their steady states. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of lung function abnormalities and its associated factors among SCD patients.
Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study in a Nigerian tertiary hospital involving 113 SCD participants and age- and gender-matched non-SCD controls. Spirometry, transthoracic echocardiography, oxygen saturation, complete blood count, serum urea and creatinine were done for the participants.
Results: The forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second and the peak expiratory flow rate of the SCD participants were significantly lower than that of the control group with p-values of 0.004, 0.000 and 0.000 respectively. Of the SCD participants; 40.7% recorded abnormal lung function with the restrictive pattern occurring most commonly with a prevalence of 28.3%. There was a statistically significant relationship between age and lung function of the SCD participants (p = 0.044).
Conclusion: Lung function abnormalities occur frequently among people with SCD with the restrictive pattern being the most common abnormality and these abnormalities occur more frequently as these patients age.