Haematological Profile of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in the Acholi Sub-Region, Uganda

Silvia Awor,1,2 Jimmyy Opee,1,2 Denis Ocaya,3 Benard Abola,4 Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga,5 Christine Oryema,5 Beatrice Arwenyo,6 Acaye Ongwech,6 Proscovia Nnamuyomba,6 Jackie Epila,7 David Musoke8 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu city, Uganda; 2Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK; 3Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu city, Uganda; 4Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Gulu University, Gulu city, Uganda; 5Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu University, Gulu city, Uganda; 6Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Gulu University, Gulu city, Uganda; 7Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Education, Lira University, Lira City, Uganda; 8Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu city, UgandaCorrespondence: Silvia Awor, Email [email protected]: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder most prevalent in Eastern and Western Africa. With the high prevalence of SCD in northern Uganda, we set out to document the haematological profile of patients with SCD in Acholi sub-region of northern Uganda.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study at Gulu University Teaching Hospitals from February to May 2025. Patients with SCD gave blood, which was analysed at GRRH, and the results were shared with their healthcare providers. Logistic regression was done to determine the association between the haematological parameters and hydroxyurea use.Results: Four hundred eighteen blood samples were analysed. The mean age of the participants was seven years of age, and the median was 5 years of age, ranging from 1 to 28 years of age. About 95% of participants had anaemia, 92.1% erythropenia, and 92.6% low haemtocrit levels. Meanwhile, 47.9% of participants had leucocytosis and 49.1% thrombocytosis. Hydroxyurea use was associated with a normal platelet count (OR=0.35, 95% CI 0.18– 0.65, p-value=0.001).Conclusion: In patients with sickle cell disease, there were increased white blood cells, platelets, and low red blood cells. That may reflect increased haemolytic activities that destroy the sickled red blood cells in low oxygen tension. Hydroxyurea use was associated with normal platelet counts.Keywords: sickle cell disease, full haemogram, acholi sub-region, Uganda, Africa