An Analysis of the Body Mass Index and Lipid Profiles in Saudi Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: A Case Control Study

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is the most obese, with 29.4% of the population in the area being obese and approximately one in every 80–100 people suffering from sickle cell disease (SCD). A single-center study is being conducted in light of these concerning figures to ascertain whether patients with SCD are more likely to develop dyslipidemia and to investigate the impact of SCD on the body mass index (BMI) of the Eastern Province’s population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 2022 and April 2023, n = 140 SCD cases and n = 103 controls participated in a prospective case–control study. The two groups were compared in terms of BMI, triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and total cholesterol in their fasting lipid profiles. RESULTS: The majority of patients with SCD were of normal weight (50%), and 24.3% of patients were underweight. There was no significant correlation found between SCD and any of the BMI categories. Compared to the control group, the SCD group’s mean BMI, cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and HDL were significantly lower ( P < 0.0001). The two groups’ TG levels did not differ significantly from one another ( P = 0.14). SCD patients who took hydroxyurea had a lower chance of falling into the high LDL category than those who did not ( P = 0.005), according to Fisher’s exact test. CONCLUSION: SCD group is prone to have lower BMI, cholesterol, LDH, and HDL than normal populations. SCD patients with low HDL levels may run the risk of developing hyperlipidemia in future, an area for further studies.