Chapters authored
Leg Ulceration in Sickle Cell Disease: An Early and Visible Sign of End‐Organ Disease
Introduction: Leg ulcers are a frequent and debilitating complication of sickle cell disease (SCD), particularly of the SS genotype. The prevalence of leg ulcers in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) varies geographically ranging widely from 75% in Jamaica to as low as 1% in Saudi Arabia. The prevalence of leg ulcers in the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease (CSSCD) in the United States was 5% in SS genotype with the incidence increasing with age. As patients with SCD have increasingly improved survival, the prevalence of leg ulcers is likely to be higher. These ulcers are slow to heal, have a high rate of recurrence, and are associated with severe unremitting pain and depression, thus leading to high healthcare costs. Despite being a well‐recognized complication of SCD, there are no specifically designed evidence‐based guidelines to help clinicians manage these patients.
Part of the book: Sickle Cell Disease