ABSTRACT
Sickle cell anaemia is a chronic haemolytic state which is characterized by hypercatabolism that could predispose to malnutrition. The low socio economic backgroundof our patients may worsen their health status. The study was aimed atassessing some biochemicalmarkers of nutritional status among adult sickle cell anaemia patients in steady state in Zaria. It is a cross-sectional descriptive study which was conducted in the Departments of Chemical Pathology and Haematology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria, Kaduna State. Some biochemical markers of nutritional status of 60 adult SCA patients in steady state and 60 healthy non SCA controls were assessed. Mean (�SEM) serum vitamin D concentration was significantly lower in SCA patients 14.55�1.49 ug/L compared with controls 25.87.�4.29 ug/L (p<0.05). Mean (�SEM) serum calcium concentration was significantly lower in SCA patients 2.20 �0.06 mmol/L compared with controls2.33�0.04 mmol/L (p<0.05).Mean (�SEM) serum albumin concentration was significantly lower in SCA patients 33.40�1.66 g/L compared with controls 40.13.�0.85 g/L (p<0.05).Mean (�SEM) serum inorganic phosphate concentration was significantly higher in SCA patients2.00.�0.13 mmol/L compared with controls 1.26�0.08 mmol/L (p<0.05).The mean (�SEM)BMI Kg/m2 was significantly lower in SCA patients 21.37�0.35 Kg/m2 compared with controls 23.27 Kg/m2 (p<0.05). The study also showedno correlations between BMI and the biochemical markers measured in both SCA patients and controls. In conclusion, mean sera concentrations of vitamin D, calciumand albuminamong adult SCA patients in steady state were lowcompared with controls, so also BMI. The meanserum concentration of inorganic phosphate however, was significantly higher in SCA than in the control subjects. There wereno correlations between BMI and biochemical markers measured in thestudy population. Therefore SCA patients in steady state are more malnourished when compared to the controls.