Prevalence of Priapism among Adult Male Sickle Cell Disease Populace seen at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City

Abstract

Priapism is a serious urological complication of sickle cell disease with adverse clinical and psychological implications. The study is aimed at determining the prevalence of priapism among adult male SCD patients seen at the university of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City; to assess their knowledge of the complications, to characterize the pattern of presentation and to assess their health behavior with regard to priapism. This is a descriptive study. Adult male SCD patient seen in the haematology unit were assessed using a semi structure questionnaire. The study was conducted over a period of 9 months (January 2012 – September 2012). The results were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Fishers' exact test was used to assess the association between Hb phenotype and priapism. P value <0.05 was considered significant. A total of 49 SCD patients were recruited. The median age of the subjects was 27 years. The prevalence of priapism was found to be 44.9% with an average age at onset of 18.5 years. Twenty (40.8%) of the subjects are aware of priapism and its complication but only 11 (50.0%) those with priapism had discussed it with their physicians. There was no association between Hb phenotype and priapism. Priapism is a serious and common complication among male sickle cell patients in Benin City. However a significant proportion of these patients are ignorant of the complication and those who experience it are not freely disposed to discuss it with their physicians during their routine clinic visit.

Keywords: Priapism, Sickle Cell Disease, Adults