Does sickle cell trait cause iron deficiency?
Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is an inherited disorder of hemoglobin synthesis that is characterized by life-long severe hemolytic anemia, attacks of pain crisis, and chronic organ system damage. A third of the hemolysis in SCA is intravascular and the resulting urinary losses of iron may lead to iron deficiency.
Is sickle cell trait the same as anemia?
Sickle cell trait is different from sickle cell disease, also known as sickle cell anemia. What is the difference between sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease? People with sickle cell trait carry only one copy of the altered hemoglobin gene and rarely have any clinical symptoms related to the disease.
Does sickle cell trait make you tired?
The sickle cells usually only last 10 to 20 days, instead of the normal 90 to 120 days. Your body may have trouble making enough new cells to replace the ones that you lost. Because of this, you may not have enough red blood cells. This is a condition called anemia, and it can make you feel tired.
Can you take iron if you have sickle cell trait?
Taking iron supplements will not help people with sickle cell disease. This type of anemia is not caused by too little iron in the blood; it’s caused by not having enough red blood cells.
Can sickle cell trait cause problems?
A person with sickle cell trait inherits one gene to make normal hemoglobin (A) and another gene to make some sickle cell hemoglobin (S). Hemoglobin is the part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen to different parts of the body. Sickle cell trait (AS) usually does not cause any health problems.
Can sickle cell trait turn into sickle cell anemia?
In general, people with sickle cell trait enjoy normal life spans with no medical problems related to sickle cell trait. Sickle cell trait can never become sickle cell disease. It is possible, however, for individuals with sickle cell trait to pass the gene to their children.
Why is iron not good for sickle cell patients?
This type of anemia is not caused by too little iron in the blood; it’s caused by not having enough red blood cells. In fact, taking iron supplements could harm a person with sickle cell disease because the extra iron builds up in the body and can cause damage to the organs.
Is having sickle cell trait bad?
Sickle cell trait is NOT a disease and will never turn into a disease. People with sickle cell trait usually do not have any health problems. However, under extreme conditions a person with sickle cell trait can experience some of the same problems as a person who has sickle cell disease.
What vitamins are good for sickle cell trait?
Supplementing with vitamin C may help correct a deficiency. Antioxidant nutrients protect the body’s cells from oxygen-related damage. Many studies show that sickle cell anemia patients tend to have low blood levels of antioxidants, including carotenoids, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C, despite adequate intake.
Is it bad to have the sickle cell trait?
Can you take iron with sickle cell trait?
What are the medications for sickle cell anemia?
Drug treatments for sickle cell disease include: Antibiotics, usually penicillin, are commonly given to infants and young children, as well as adults, to help prevent infections. Pain relief medication ranging from nonprescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to opiods are given to control pain.
Who is most affected by sickle cell?
Sickle cell disease can affect persons of any racial or ethnic background. In the U.S., African-Americans are most likely to have the disease, though it is found among many different racial and ethnic groups, including whites, Hispanics , Native Americans, and Southeast Asians.
Is it good to have sickle cell anemia?
People with sickle cell trait are generally healthy . Only rarely do people who have sickle cell trait have complications similar to those seen in people who have sickle cell disease. But people with sickle cell trait are carriers of a defective hemoglobin S gene, so they can pass it on when they have a child.
What are the risk factors for sickle cell anemia?
Factors that influence the frequency of sickle cell anemia include geography, the prevalence of malaria, and the genetics of an individual’s parents and recent ancestors. Since this particular mutation is a genetically inherited disease, the primary factor affecting the frequency of sickle cell anemia is genetics.