Sickle cell treatment in India GoMedii

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a serious and common inherited blood disorder. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 70,000 to 85,000 newborns each year worldwide suffer from SCD. Approximately 85% of affected births occur in Africa and Central and South America. SCD affects approximately two million people worldwide.

Sickle cell disease occurs when a genetic abnormality causes the sickling of red blood cells. The sickle cell gene is inherited from both parents. While the father carries one copy of the gene, the mother carries two. Each parent provides one copy of the gene to the fetus. A normal red blood cell has a flexible cell membrane that causes it to remain round and allow the cells to flow easily through the capillaries. A sickle cell cell has a rigid, sickle shaped membrane, which leads to cells to clump together and stick to each other, narrowing the blood vessel and causing the patient to suffer from pain, frequent infections, and organ damage.

The most severe form of sickle cell is called sickle cell anemia. The life expectancy of those with sickle cell anemia is reduced by 25 years in Africa and Central and South America. The mildest form of sickle cell is called sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease. People with this form of the disease have a normal life expectancy but have a slightly increased risk of stroke and kidney failure.

There are two major forms of sickle cell disease in India. The most common form, sickle cell trait, is more common in the western part of India than in the eastern part of India. It is more common in the northern parts of India than in the southern parts of the country.

Sickle cell trait is a genetic condition in which one of the parents is homozygous for the sickle cell gene and the other is heterozygous for the gene. People with sickle cell trait are not considered to be at increased risk for serious complications from SCD.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that occurs when a person is born with the sickle cell gene. People with the sickle cell gene are hemoglobin S carriers. Hemoglobin S is a red blood cell protein that causes the red blood cells to become rigid. This causes the cells to stack and form into clumps that interfere with normal blood flow, causing the patient to suffer from severe pain, frequent infections, and organ damage. People who are sickle cell carriers can still have a normal life expectancy and experience minimal symptoms. However, if the other parent carries the sickle cell gene, the offspring will be sickle cell carriers. Sickle cell trait is a genetic condition in which one of the parents is homozygous for the sickle cell gene and the other is heterozygous for the gene. People with sickle cell trait are not considered to be at increased risk for serious complications from sickle cell disease.