Chronic pain
Background In SCD, pain is considered chronic if it lasts more than 3 months. People with SCD experience both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. Nociceptive pain…
Lesson Category: Chapter 4: Managing Chronic Complications
Avascular Necrosis
BackgroundAvascular necrosis (AVN, also known as aseptic necrosis, osteonecrosis, or ischemic necrosis) is bone death due to compromised blood supply. Necrosis can occur when capillaries…
Leg Ulcers
Background Leg ulcers are a common complication of SCD in general and SCA in particular. Leg ulceration was reported in all of the first four…
Pulmonary Hypertension
BackgroundPulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as an elevation of the resting mean pulmonary arterial pressure ( 25 mmHg) as determined by right heart catheterization(RHC). There…
Renal Complications
BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined as either having a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of<60 mL/min/1.73 mL for 2:3 months with or without kidney damage…
Stuttering/Recurrent Priapism
Background Stuttering priapism is the occurrence of multiple self-limited episodes of unwanted, often painful erections lasting
Ophthalmologic Complications
BackgroundChronic ophthalmological complications of SCD include proliferative sickle retinopathy (PSR) and vitreous hemorrhage. They occur in up to 50 percent of individuals with SCD, and…