Determination of D- dimer level in sickle cell anemia patients under hydroxyurea treatment in Sinnar state, Sudan

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anemia (SCA), is hemoglobin disorders that increase the rate of morbidity and mortality. Aim of this study is to evaluate D- dimer level in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) under hydroxyurea (HU) treatment. A total of 90 subjects, Homozygous (SCD) patients (HbSS) treated with Hydroxyurea (HU) (n=30), homozygous (SCD) untreated with hydroxyurea (n=30) and healthy (Hb AA) controls (n=30) matched for age (4 - 20) years, gender and socioeconomic status were enrolled from sinnar pediatric hospital. Venous blood samples 1.8 ml were collected in Trisodium citrate, centrifuged at room temperature then plasma was separated. The effect of the SCD patient's treatment with hydroxyurea on D- dimer level was investigated using Snibe MAGLUMI fully-autochemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) analyzer. The results of D-dimer are significantly lower (0.93±0.52ng/ml) (p value 0.000) in (SCD) under (HU) and normal control (0.39±0.14) compared to (SCD) patients without (HU) treatment (4.61±1.76ng/ml). Also, according to clinical status, SCD under HU Treatment about 73% are steady, and crises which about 27 %, SCD without HU treatment steady about 20% and crises about 80%. This reflect the significant role of HU therapy in the beneficial clinical effect. In conclusion, our study revealed low D-dimer levels and improves clinical and hematological characteristic among (SCD) patients under hydroxyurea treatment comparing with (SCD) patient without hydroxyurea treatment, while age showed no effect on the D-dimer levels.