Sickle cell chronic pulmonary disease among Africans: the need for increased recognition and treatment

ABSTRACT

The pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease (SCD) among adults are expected to increase since more of them are expected to survive into adulthood with improved healthcare delivery systems. Such complications; especially the chronic ones; which are usually collectively referred to as SCCLD (sickle cell chronic lung disease); are often under-appreciated by healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa. However; results of recent work in Nigeria show that SCCLD might not be as uncommon as previously thought. It is very important to detect SCCLD at an early stage; which is usually asymptomatic; the late stages are not usually responsive to conventional treatment. In Africa; outline spirometry can be used as a screening test for asymptomatic SCCLD in the follow-up of SCD. Patients with asymptomatic SCCLD should be offered measures that can prevent further deterioration of their condition; while those with more advanced symptomatic disease are treated symptomatically