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Stunting In Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia in Lagos
Abstract
Background
Children with sickle cell anaemia are vulnerable to growth deficits.
Objective
To determine the prevalence of stunting among sickle cell anaemia children presenting at the sickle cell disease clinic of the Department of Paediatrics (LASUTH).
Methodology
This prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted between October 2009 and December 2009, using healthy age and sex matched controls with haemoglobin genotype AA. Height measurement was taken using standard techniques.
Results
100 children each with genotype SS and AA aged eight months to 15 years, with a mean of 75.27 (±50.276) months were studied. The mean height-for-age Z score of the AA controls was significantly higher than that of the SS subjects (0.521 ± 1.469 Vs -0.444 ± 1.861, p = 0.000). The scores were significantly lower in male children with sickle cell anaemia except >2 years to 5 years. On the contrary however, there was no significant difference between females with SCA and haemoglobin AA across all age group. The overall prevalence of stunting was significantly higher among SS subjects than AA controls (10% Vs 3%, p = 0.045). The age-specific prevalence for stunting was highest in SS as well as AA controls among subjects older than 10 years (24%, 8.0% respectively).
Conclusion
Children with sickle cell anaemia were shorter and more often stunted than AA controls. Stunting was more prevalent in older subjects and controls. Height should be routinely measured during follow-up of sickle cell anaemia subjects to ensure early detection of stunting as this may be amenable to intervention with zinc supplementation.
Keywords: sickle cell anaemia, stunting
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njcm.v4i1.4
Children with sickle cell anaemia are vulnerable to growth deficits.
Objective
To determine the prevalence of stunting among sickle cell anaemia children presenting at the sickle cell disease clinic of the Department of Paediatrics (LASUTH).
Methodology
This prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted between October 2009 and December 2009, using healthy age and sex matched controls with haemoglobin genotype AA. Height measurement was taken using standard techniques.
Results
100 children each with genotype SS and AA aged eight months to 15 years, with a mean of 75.27 (±50.276) months were studied. The mean height-for-age Z score of the AA controls was significantly higher than that of the SS subjects (0.521 ± 1.469 Vs -0.444 ± 1.861, p = 0.000). The scores were significantly lower in male children with sickle cell anaemia except >2 years to 5 years. On the contrary however, there was no significant difference between females with SCA and haemoglobin AA across all age group. The overall prevalence of stunting was significantly higher among SS subjects than AA controls (10% Vs 3%, p = 0.045). The age-specific prevalence for stunting was highest in SS as well as AA controls among subjects older than 10 years (24%, 8.0% respectively).
Conclusion
Children with sickle cell anaemia were shorter and more often stunted than AA controls. Stunting was more prevalent in older subjects and controls. Height should be routinely measured during follow-up of sickle cell anaemia subjects to ensure early detection of stunting as this may be amenable to intervention with zinc supplementation.
Keywords: sickle cell anaemia, stunting
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njcm.v4i1.4
