Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form of anemia, a condition in which there is a lack of healthy red blood cells. It is caused by an inherited genetic mutation and can only occur when both the mother and the father pass the defective form of the gene to their child. It affects around 100,000 people in the United States and is more common in African-Americans.

The name “sickle cell” anemia arose due to the abnormally shaped blood cells characteristic of this form of anemia. These cells can stick in the body’s smaller blood vessels, which slows the blood flow and prevents oxygen from reaching parts of the body. There are four types of sickle cell disease, the most common of which is hemoglobin SS disease.

Symptoms of sickle cell anemia vary but include anemia, painful swelling of the hands and feet, increased susceptibility to infections, periodic episodes of pain, notably in the chest abdomen and joints, delayed growth, and vision problems. It may also cause fatigue, jaundice and bed wetting from the associated kidney problems.

Sickle cell anemia can lead to a variety of complications. These include neurological issues (such as strokes and seizures), severe anemia, vision problems, skin ulcers, heart disease, lung disease, and blockages in the spleen.

There is no cure for sickle cell anemia, so treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and minimizing the risk of complications. Treatment options include blood transfusions to improve transport of oxygen in the body, medication to manage the pain, and antibiotics to treat infection. Immunizations are often recommended to patients with sickle cell anemia to reduce the chance of infection. Drug classes used to treat sickle cell anemia are antimetabolites antineoplastic agents, which increase production of hemoglobin.