Digestive autoimmune diseases mimicking gastrointestinal manifestations in children with sickle cell anemia: A report of three cases

Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a genetic disorder that presents with a variety of systemic complications, including gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations. These GI symptoms can overlap with those of digestive autoimmune diseases (DAD) such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), complicating the diagnosis and management. This study presents three cases of SCA patients diagnosed with DAD, highlighting the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic outcomes. Our goal is to stress how abdominal symptoms in SCA can mask the presence of DAD, leading to potential misdiagnoses. We review the implications of these findings in clinical practice and compare them to the literature to emphasize the importance of recognizing and differentiating these conditions to avoid delays in treatment.