Brain volume in Tanzanian children with sickle cell anaemia: A neuroimaging study.
Br J Haematol
; 201(1): 114-124, 2023 04.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36329651
Brain injury is a common complication of sickle cell anaemia (SCA). White matter (WM) and cortical and subcortical grey matter (GM), structures may have reduced volume in patients with SCA. This study focuses on whether silent cerebral infarction (SCI), vasculopathy or anaemia affects WM and regional GM volumes in children living in Africa. Children with SCA (n = 144; aged 5-20 years; 74 male) and sibling controls (n = 53; aged 5-17 years; 29 male) underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Effects of SCI (n = 37), vasculopathy (n = 15), and haemoglobin were assessed. Compared with controls, after adjusting for age, sex and intracranial volume, patients with SCA had smaller volumes for WM and cortical, subcortical and total GM, as well as bilateral cerebellar cortex, globus pallidus, amygdala and right thalamus. Left globus pallidus volume was further reduced in patients with vasculopathy. Putamen and hippocampus volumes were larger in patients with SCA without SCI or vasculopathy than in controls. Significant positive effects of haemoglobin on regional GM volumes were confined to the controls. Patients with SCA generally have reduced GM volumes compared with controls, although some subcortical regions may be spared. SCI and vasculopathy may affect the trajectory of change in subcortical GM and WM volume. Brain volume in non-SCA children may be vulnerable to contemporaneous anaemia.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Stroke
/
White Matter
/
Anemia, Sickle Cell
Limits:
Child
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Br J Haematol
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Tanzania
Country of publication:
Reino Unido