Blood screen may spot potential complications in sickle cell children

Testing blood levels of certain clotting proteins may help clinicians identify serious complications of sickle cell diseaseexternal link, opens in a new tab (SCD) in children, a study showed, a finding that could be especially useful in resource-poor settings.

Data indicated that vaso-occlusive crisesexternal link, opens in a new tab (VOCs) in children with SCD were associated with elevated levels of VWF and normal ADAMTS13 levels, while a higher VWF-to-ADAMTS13 ratio may be indicative of stroke.

Neutrophils, a type of immune cell, were significantly elevated in children with VOCs and those experiencing a stroke compared with children with steady-state SCD, while the number of immature red blood cells was significantly higher in the VOC group.

Blood cells and clotting markers “may serve as alternatives to imaging for screening and detecting high-risk SCD complications,” the researchers wrote, though they noted a need for further studies to confirm the utility of these blood biomarkers.

The study, “Elevated VWF with normal ADAMTS13 in pediatric sickle cell disease: links to crises and ischemic strokeexternal link, opens in a new tab,” was published in Blood Vessels, Thrombosis & Hemostasis.