Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a class of hemoglobinopathy characterized by hemolytic anemia, increased incidence of infections and vaso-occlusion that may affect quality of life and life expectancy. Vitamin D deficiency in SCD patients may associate with increased disease severity.
Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate relationship between vitamin D insufficiency and severity of SCD and its related complications.
Patient and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, where 50 SCD patients in steady state and 50 age and sex matched healthy controls, they were selected from outpatients clinic of El Galaa Teaching Hospital during period from May 2019 to November 2019 by simple random method ,they were subjected to anthropometric parameters, Thorough history taking, physical examination, laboratory investigations included complete blood count, reticulocyte count (Retics), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total (TSB) and indirect (Indirect SB)serum bilirubin, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Cr),serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D assessment.
Results: Vitamin D deficiency found in 60% of SCD patients and 22%of controls while severe VDD (25(OH) D level<10 ng /ml) found in12% of SCD patients and4% of controls. SCD patients classified according to serum vitamin D level to Normal group and Deficient group. There were statistically significant differences between the SCD studied groups regarding their age, anthropometric measures(P values=0.000), frequency of VOC, frequency of severe VOC, frequency of emergency room visit due to pain, frequency of infection, length of hospital admission, frequency of blood transfusion last year. As regarding laboratory investigations, hemoglobin and hematocrit values were significantly lower in VDD group (P values 0.000) while the levels of total leucocytic count, reticulocyte count, lactate dehydrogenase, total and indirect bilirubin were significantly higher in the same group (P values 0.002, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, and 0.000, respectively).Regarding SCD related complications there was insignificant difference between two groups but bone fracture higher in VDD group.
Conclusion: SCD patients may have vitamin D deficiency and may benefit from vitamin D screening and supplementation that may lead to improve growth, decrease severity of disease, complications and improve quality of life.