Respiratory function in pediatric African SCA patients underwent bone marrow transplantation

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) are prone to invasive infections caused by S. pneumonia, H. influenzae, and Plasmodium falciparum. The presence of asthma increases the risk of mortality, and it has been shown an association between the presence of bronchial hyperactivity and the onset of acute chest syndrome. Like thalassemia, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is curative in most individuals with SCA. We report pulmonary function analyzed by spirometry, before and after transplantation, in a group of Nigerian SCA children. Our results indicate that restrictive pulmonary pattern (RVP) is a common finding in these patients. Although we do not observe significant improvements in lung function after 3-6 months of transplantation, it is useful to perform a spirometric evaluation of these patients at the time of transplant.