Some Morphometric Changes Associated With Sickle Cell Anaemia in Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

Some of the long-term complications of sickle cell anaemia are growth retardation and morphometric changes that affect prediction anthropometry. This study on the morphometric changes (head, chest and mid-thigh circumference) was carried out on 40 patients confirmed homozygous for the disease who attend the sickle cell clinic at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and 160 normal growing children/adolescent drawn from the university's day care centre, nursery school, and the demonstration primary and secondary school, all aged between 2-18 years. The technique of measurement followed those described by Tanner et al, and using internationally accepted methods in anthropometry. The data obtained were than analyzed statistically. The results shows that values for head circumstance in the sickle cell anaemia patients were generally higher than those for the normal growing children/adolescents. This is probably attributable to the frontal bossing of the skull associated with the disease. Values for the chest circumference showed variations with age due to physiological and pathological changes associated with the disease. Mid-thigh circumference values are generally lower for sickle cell anaemia patients in this study.