What is Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)?
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder caused by a genetic defect that causes the production of misshapen or sickled red blood cells. The genetic defect results in red blood cells that are rigid and curved or sickled instead round and smooth like normal blood cells. These sickled cells do not live as long as normal cells and can be the cause of numerous symptoms in the body.
Common symptoms of SCD
Pain Episode or Crisis: caused by blockages in arteries and blood veins.
Hand-Foot Syndrome: Swelling in the hands and feet, often along with a fever.
Sickle Cell Retinopathy: SCD can affect the blood vessels in the eye and lead to long-term damage due to blockages
Acute Chest Syndrome (ACS): Blockage of the flow of blood to the lungs.
Stroke: Sickle cells can clog blood flow to the brain causing a stroke.
Who does SCD affect?
It is estimated that SCD affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the United States, mainly Blacks or African Americans.
The disease occurs among about 1 of every 500 Black or African American births and among about 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanic American births.
SCD affects millions of people throughout the world and is particularly common among those whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa; regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, the Caribbean, and Central America); Saudi Arabia; India; and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy.