Hypersensitivity to Allergens May Increase Risk of Acute Chest Syndrome in Sickle Cell Anemia Children

Hypersensitivity to allergens in children with sickle cell anemia may increase the risk of acute chest syndrome, a study suggests. The study “Aeroallergen sensitization predicts acute chest syndrome in children with sickle cell anaemia” was published in the British Journal of Haematology. Diagnosing asthma in children with sickle cell anemia is tricky, but the disease is actually a serious risk factor for increased acute vaso-occlusive pain, acute chest syndrome and earlier death among these patients. Acute chest syndrome is a life-threatening lung-related complication of sickle cell disease characterized by low oxygen levels. Since increased sensitivity to allergens is a risk factor for asthma, a group of researchers “hypothesized that aeroallergen sensitization is associated with an increased incidence of hospitalizations for ACS [acute chest syndrome] and pain.”