Health‐related quality of life in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD): A report from the comprehensive sickle cell centers clinical trial consortium

• Published in: American journal of hematology Vol. 86; no. 2; pp. 203 - 205
• Main Authors: Dampier, Carlton, LeBeau, Petra, Rhee, Seungshin, Lieff, Susan, Kesler, Karen, Ballas, Samir, Rogers, Zora, Wang, Winfred
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-02-2011; Wiley-Liss; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aging; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Anemia, Sickle Cell - complications; Anemia, Sickle Cell - physiopathology; Anemia, Sickle Cell - psychology; Anemia, Sickle Cell - therapy; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Asthma - complications; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Studies; Comprehensive Health Care; Depression - complications; Depression - drug therapy; Diseases of red blood cells; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hematology; Hip Joint - pathology; Humans; Leg Ulcer - complications; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Osteonecrosis - etiology; Pain - complications; Pain - drug therapy; Pain - etiology; Quality of Life - psychology; Sex Characteristics; Shoulder Joint - pathology; Vascular Diseases - complications; Young Adult; Human; Hemoglobinopathy; Hemolytic anemia; Sickle cell anemia; Hematology; Adult; Clinical trial; Hemopathy; Health-Related Quality of Life; Genetic disease
• ISSN: 0361-8609; 1096-8652
• DOI: 10.1002/ajh.21905

Adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) experience multiple disease-related complications, but few studies have examined relationships between these events and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). We determined the number and type of previous or co-occurring SCD-related complications and their reported HRQOL in a cohort of 1,046 adults from the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centers (CSCC). Participants had a median age of 28.0 years (48% male, 73% SS or Sβ⁰ thalassemia) and had experienced several SCD-related complications (mean 3.8 ± 2.0), which were influenced by age, gender, and hemoglobinopathy type (P < 0.0001). In multivariate models, increasing age reduced all SF-36 scales scores (P < 0.05) except mental health, while female gender additionally diminished physical function and vitality scale scores (P < 0.01). Of possible complications, only vaso-occlusive crisis, asthma, or avascular necrosis diminished SF-36 scale scores. Chronic antidepressants usage predominantly diminished scores on bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, emotional role, and mental health scales, whereas chronic opioid usage diminished all scale scores (P < 0.01). Our study documents substantial impairment of HRQOL in adults with SCD that was influenced by only a few of many possible medical complications. It suggests that more effective treatments of persistent pain and depression would provide the largest HRQOL benefit.