Prior weather, rather than present weather, triggers sickle cell crisis — Study

A haematologist, Dr Adekunle Alagbe, has asked parents and caregivers to be proactive about extreme weather changes because prior weather changes rather than the present weather is that which actually triggers pain crises in individuals with sickle cell disease.

Dr Alagbe, in his presentation on ‘Meteorological Parameters and Hospitalisation of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in Campinas, Brazil: A 20-year review’ at the celebration of five decades of haematology teaching, research and practice in Nigeria at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, said a close watch on the weather in the last two weeks can help prepare a patient early enough to avoid the debilitating pain from sickle cell crisis.

According to him, there was no immediate effect after exposure to the extreme weather, rather lagged associations were observed between some meteorological parameters and the hospitalisations of sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients.

He declared: “Our study buttresses previous studies that showed that meteorological parameters may not influence the number and duration of hospitalisations of sickle cell anemia patients at the time of hospitalisation.

“Also, more sickle cell anemia patients were hospitalised during the winter. The associations between the meteorological parameters and the pattern of hospitalisations of sickle cell anemia patients are important and complex as they might differ with geographical locations, especially across the equator.

“Understanding these associations can help physicians to appropriately advise sickle cell anemia patients and their caregivers. It may result in attitudinal and behavioural modifications in patients and their caregivers, mitigating sickle cell anaemia associated crises and improving the health care for sickle cell anaemia patients. This will hopefully help improve public health care, policies and planning.”

Dr Oladapo Aworanti, a consultant haematologist, stated on the sideline of the meeting: “It’s been found out that extremes of weather bring about sickle cell crisis. That’s why you see that in Harmattan and rain seasons, most sickle cell anemia patients come down with a crisis.

“What researchers have found is that the current weather does not have any effect. The prior weather, say about two to four weeks, has an effect on what is happening to the sickle cell patient now. So you can actually prepare your patient early enough. That’s actually the basis of his study.”

Dr Aworanti, however, stated that further studies are needed to try and see if in Nigeria changes in weather will have any effect on the number of patients that present at the hospital with sickle cell anemia crisis.

He added, “Parents need to take weather to be important in their dealings and handling of sickle cell anaemia patients. For example, if the weather is cold, can you put on a jacket at that point so that the effect of handling the weather well will not be seen in two weeks. You cannot actually stop the rain from falling; you are the one to look for a coping strategy for the rain.”

Patients with sickle cell disease suffer from abnormally shaped, rigid and adhesive red blood cells. These abnormal cells ‘close off’ blood vessels and cause recurring, painful episodes called ‘sickle cell crises’. An individual with sickle cell disease can develop a crisis at any time and is frequently severe enough to require hospitalization.