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Sickle Cell Research Papers

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Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide. It is most common among people whose ancestors come from Africa; Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Turkey, and Italy; the Arabian Peninsula; India; and Spanish-speaking regions in South America, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean. Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting 70,000 to 80,000 Americans. The disease is estimated to occur in 1 in 500 African Americans and 1 in 1,000 to 1,400 Hispanic Americans.
Today about 100,000 people have the disease known as sickle cell anemia. Even some famous people such as Prodigy the rapper, and Miles Davis the musician currently are living with sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia …show more content…

Signs and symptoms of sickle cell disease usually begin in early childhood. Sickle cell disease is a group of disorders that affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. Characteristic features of this disorder include a low number of red blood cells or anemia, repeated infections, and periodic episodes of pain. The severity of symptoms varies from person to person. Some people have mild symptoms, while others are frequently hospitalized for more serious complications. Infections are common with sickle cell such as infections in the urine making it unclear and sometimes bloody. It can also cause pain in the joint. This pain is why most victims of sickle cell anemia say their bodys are always sore and uncomfortable. Lastly, people who have the disorder tend to be fatigued and majorly lazy do to the lack of energy due to their aching …show more content…

The only cure for this disease is a bone marrow transplant also known as stem cell transplant. This is usually saved for patients who are under the age of 16, since the risks get larger with age. The other treatments include medications such as : antibiotics, pain relieving medicines called Hydroxyurea . When taken daily, hydroxyurea reduces the frequency of painful crises and might reduce the need for blood transfusions and hospitalizations. Hydroxyurea seems to work by stimulating production of fetal hemoglobin, a type of hemoglobin found in newborns that helps prevent the formation of sickle cells. The bad side of Hydroxyurea is that it increases your risk of infections, and there is some concern that long-term use of this drug might cause problems later in life for people who take it for many years. More study is needed and you should always ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to take it.
Blood transfusions are another option. This can increase the number of red blood cells that cause anemia and makes the body weak and it can fight off other complications from the disease. Gene therapy is a newer treatment that inserts a normal gene into the bone marrow of a person with sickle cell anemia hoping for a result of normal hemoglobin but this process is still in an experimental stage.
Sickle cell anemia affects many people around the World in areas of Africa, the Middle East and Spanish speaking countries to list a few.

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