Mortality rate in Sickle Cell Disease Patients in Crisis at a Haematology Day Care Unit (HDCU) in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The Haematology Day Care Unit (HDCU) of the University College Hospital; Ibadan; Nigeria was established in 1975 with the main goal of providing immediate and specialized care to haematological emergencies; particularly sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. Since inception; a systematic analysis of its effectiveness has not been done; hence this study. A retrospective study of all registered patients attending the Haematology Day Care Unit of the University College Hospital; Ibadan; over a one-year period was conducted and analyzed. Demographic data; diagnosis; treatment received; outcome of such treatment as well as laboratory parameters were extracted from HDCU register and the data were then analysed using descriptive statistics. A total of 890 patients were seen during the period; January and December 2001; out of which 520 were sickle cell disease patients (HbSS accounted for 508 (92.7) cases and HbSC; 40 (7.3) cases). The mean age of the SCD patients was 25.8years; the median; 23years and the mode; 18years. The mean PCV was 21.2; median; 21.0 and mode; 20. Majority (246 or 47.3) of the patients were between 20 and 30 years; the lowest frequency being in the 50years group (14 or 2.7). One patient died during the period under review (31year old female with HbSC disease); giving a mortality rate of 2 per 1000 patients