Plasma cholesterol and triglycerides level in patients with sickle cell disease in Basrah

To determine the effect of anemia due to genetic red cell defects on the value of plasma lipids, the level of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides was estimated in a group of 74 patients with sickle cell disease [39 Hb AS and 35 Hb SS] and 50 age and sex matched control group with normal haemo-globin [Hb AA]. The level of plasma cholesterol was lower in sickle cell patients as compared with the normal control group and the difference was found to be statistically significant [P < 0.001]. The possible role of hypocholesterolaemia in those patients was discussed