SEROPREVALENCE OF ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY IN PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE AT LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (LASUTH), IKEJA, LAGOS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a chronic disorder in which the presence of
the sickled haemoglobin predisposes the affected individual to certain complications, one of
which is thrombosis as a result of their ‘hypercoagulable state’. Antiphospholipid antibodies
(APA) are implicated as being a possible cause for this.
AIM: The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in
patients with Sickle Cell Disease at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos
State.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on Sickle Cell Disease subjects in Lagos State
University Teaching Hospital from April 2015 to August 2015. They were recruited
consecutively from the Haematology out-patient Clinic.
One hundred and thirteen (113) steady state patients were recruited into the study. Most of
them (95.6%) had the electrophoretic pattern HbSS and 4.4% had electrophoretic pattern
HbSC. Antiphospholipid antibody in all participants was determined using ELISA test kits
and the Kaolin Clotting Time (KCT). Full blood count including red cell indices and
reticulocyte count were analysed. The statistical package for social science software (SPSS)
2012, version 20 was used to assess the mean, comparison of proportions as well as
correlation analysis. The level of statistical significance was set at P-value ˂ 0.05.
RESULTS: The result of the study found a statistically significant relationship between red
cell distribution width (RDW CV) and APA (IgM) (P=0.017), reticulocyte count and APA
(KCT) (p= 0.037) and Eosinophil count and APA (KCT) (p=0.031).
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that a negative correlation exists between the red
cell distribution width and antiphospholipid antibodies as detected using ELISA (IgM) as
well as reticulocyte count and eosinophil count and antiphospholipid antibodies with the KCT

method in this set of individuals with Sickle Cell Disease. Hence, the need for periodic
routine screening in them to detect those who might benefit from therapeutic intervention in
the face of thrombotic complications.

SEROPREVALENCE OF ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY IN PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE AT LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (LASUTH), IKEJA, LAGOS