Is renal medullary carcinoma the seventh nephropathy in sickle cell disease? A multi-center Nigerian survey

• Published in: African health sciences Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 490 - 496
• Main Authors: Madu,Anazoeze, Najibah, Galadincci, Garba, Umar, Shehu, Abdulahi, Florence, Fowodu, Abdulaziz, Hassan, Marcus, Inyama, Oluwaseun, Akinpelu, Theresa, Nwagha, Obike, Ibegbulam, Sunday, Ocheni, Ifeoma, Korubo, Uche, Anike, Kingsley,Agu, Charles,Nonyelu, Angela,Ugwu, Augustin,Duru, Chikwudi, Anigbo, Alozie, Eze, Uchenna,Ololo, Caroline,Omoti, Obineche,Agwu, Iheanyi,Okpala
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Uganda Makerere University Medical School 01-06-2016; Makerere Medical School
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Anemia, Sickle Cell - diagnosis; Anemia, Sickle Cell - epidemiology; Anemia, Sickle Cell - therapy; Cancer; Carcinoma, Medullary - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Medullary - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Medullary - therapy; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developing Countries; Female; Humans; Kidney diseases; Kidney Neoplasms - diagnosis; Kidney Neoplasms - epidemiology; Kidney Neoplasms - therapy; Male; Medical Screening; Middle Aged; Monitoring, Physiologic; Nigeria - epidemiology; Nigerian survey; Patients; Prevalence; Prognosis; Registries; Renal medullary carcinoma; Research methodology; Risk Assessment; seventh nephropathy; Sex Distribution; Sickle cell anemia; sickle cell disease; Statistical analysis; Survival Analysis; Nigeria; seventh nephropathy; Renal medullary carcinoma; Nigerian survey; sickle cell disease
• ISSN: 1680-6905; 1729-0503; 1680-6905
• DOI: 10.4314/ahs.v16i2.17

Introduction: Previous studies had enlisted renal medullary carcinoma
(RMC) as the seventh nephropathy in sickle cell disease (SCD). Clinical
experience has contradicted this claim and this study is targeted at
refuting or supporting this assumption. Objective: To estimate the
prevalence of RMC and describe other renal complications in SCD.
Materials and methods: 14 physicians (haematologists and urologists) in
11 tertiary institutions across the country were collated from
patients' case notes and hospital SCD registers. Results: Of the
3,596 registered sickle patients, 2 (0.056%) had been diagnosed with
RMC over a ten year period, thereby giving an estimated prevalence rate
of 5.6 per 100,000. The most common renal complication reported by the
attending physicians was chronic kidney disease (CKD). The frequency of
routine renal screening for SCD patients varied widely between centres
- most were done at diagnosis, annually or bi-annually.
Conclusion: The ten year prevalence of RMC in Nigerian SCD patients was
determined to be 5.6 (estimated incidence of 0.56). RMC is not more
common in SCD patients and therefore cannot be regarded as a
"Seventh Sickle nephropathy". Most of the managing
physicians reported that the commonest nephropathy observed in their
SCD patients was chronic kidney disease.