Sickle cell anemia occurs as a result of a group of genetic factors that affect the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells, which works to transport oxygen to the various tissues of the body.

This disease makes red blood cells less flexible, taking the shape of a crescent or sickle, and it becomes difficult for them to pass smoothly through the blood vessels, so they accumulate and impede the flow of blood in the body.

This usually causes severe pain in the body and serious complications that make the average life expectancy of sickle cell anemia patients less than the average for normal people by about twenty years.

Understanding Prognosis for Sickle Cell Patients

Due to the development of treatment and healthcare methods for sickle cell anemia, it has become possible for these people to have a better life and live to ages beyond fifty.

There are many factors that affect the patient and contribute greatly to determining the average lifespan, including:

Getting the necessary medical care from nutritional supplements, kidney dialysis, pain management, and other things that the patient needs.

The extent of the patient’s commitment to treatment plans, living with his health condition, and understanding what can cause him harm.

Commitment to a healthy lifestyle that includes proper nutrition, appropriate physical exercise, and avoiding stress. (Platt , et al., 1994)

Role of Modern Treatments in Extending Lifespan

Modern treatment methods contribute to prolonging the life of sickle cell anemia patients, including:

• Hydroxyurea, which helps the patient’s body produce fetal hemoglobin, which is more effective than the type that causes sickle cell anemia, and reduces pain attacks associated with the disease.
• Safe blood transfusions improve normal hemoglobin levels and avoid complications of the disease.
• Pain relievers such as opioids, physical therapy, and relaxation techniques improve the quality of life of patients.
• Giving appropriate vaccines and antibiotics that protect the patient from microbial infections, especially chest infections.
• The process of fetal cell transfer can also contribute to improving the production of normal hemoglobin.
• Gene therapy, which works to correct the genetic defect that led to the production of the disease gene.

Common Complications Affecting Life Expectancy

Complications that affect life expectancy of sickle cell anemia include:

• Microbial infections, especially pneumonia and meningitis.
• Pulmonary hypertension.
• Low red blood cell count.
• Damage to organs such as the heart, spleen and kidneys.
• Stroke.
• Acute Chest Syndrome.
• Pain attacks resulting from obstruction of blood flow to body organs.

Importance of Regular Health Monitoring

Continuous follow-up of sickle cell patients helps detect serious complications before they worsen and cause irreversible damage such as organ failure and can also contribute to the following:

• Manage pain.
• Prevent infection.
• Ensure patient adherence to prescribed treatment.
• Modify treatment plan as needed. ( Howard & Thein , 2019)

Read Also: Aplastic Anemia | Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Support and Resources for Better Quality of Life

Living with sickle cell disease can be difficult unless the patient receives full support that improves life expectancy of sickle cell anemia.

The following are the most important forms of this support:

• Follow-up with local associations that provide care for sickle cell patients.
• Follow-up with hematology specialists.
• Learn effective pain management techniques such as relaxation and yoga.
• Live a healthy lifestyle in terms of nutrition, exercise and avoiding stress.
• Communicate with people with the disease to exchange experiences.
• Follow up on new developments in treating the disease such as stem cell transplantation and gene therapy.

References

Howard , J., & Thein , S. L. (2019). PubMed. Retrieved from Optimal disease management and health monitoring in adults with sickle cell disease: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6913450/

Platt , O. S., Brambilla, D. J., Rosse, W. F., Milner, P. F., Castro, O., Steinberg,, M. H., & Klug, P. P. (1994). PubMed. Retrieved from Mortality in sickle cell disease. Life expectancy and risk factors for early death : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7993409/