Senbanjo Idowu Odunayo, Oshikoya Kazeem Adeola, Salisu Mohammed, Diaku-Akinwumi Ijeoma Nnenna
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Lagos State University College of Medicine, PMB 21266, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
Department of Pharmacology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
Pan Afr Med J. 2016 Sep 13;25:4. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2016.25.4.8030. eCollection 2016.
Growth retardation and under-nutrition are common in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). The aim of this study was to compare the head circumference (HC) of SCD children and non-SCD children and to determine the effect of malnutrition on head circumference of children with SCD.
This was a prospective case-control study conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, involving SCD children (subject, n = 118) and non-SCD children (control, n = 118) matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Weight, height and HC were measured using standard techniques.
The mean ages of children with and without SCD were 7.46 ± 3.69 years and 7.01 ± 3.58 years, respectively. The HC increased significantly with age in both males and females (r = 0.75, p = < 0.001; r = 0.70, p < 0.001 respectively). There was no significant difference in HC between males and females (p > 0.05). At all ages, the mean head circumference of SCD children was not significantly (p > 0.05) different from non-SCD children. The In the age group 11-15 years, the prevalence of stunting was significantly higher among SCD children than non-SCD children. The mean HC of SCD children with stunting was significantly lower than those not stunted (51.7 vs. 53.5; P= 0.006) in age group 11.15 years.
The head circumference of children with SCD is not significantly different from that of non-SCD children. Therefore, the HC chart for the general population is also applicable for monitoring head growth in children with SCD. The effect of malnutrition on head circumference of SCD children is most marked in age group 11-15 years.
生长发育迟缓与营养不良在镰状细胞病（SCD）患儿中很常见。本研究的目的是比较SCD患儿与非SCD患儿的头围（HC），并确定营养不良对SCD患儿头围的影响。
这是一项在尼日利亚拉各斯州立大学教学医院进行的前瞻性病例对照研究，纳入了年龄、性别和社会经济地位相匹配的SCD患儿（研究对象，n = 118）和非SCD患儿（对照，n = 118）。采用标准技术测量体重、身高和头围。
患有和未患SCD的儿童平均年龄分别为7.46±3.69岁和7.01±3.58岁。男性和女性的头围均随年龄显著增加（r = 0.75，p = < 0.001；r = 0.70，p < 0.001）。男性和女性之间的头围无显著差异（p > 0.05）。在所有年龄段，SCD患儿的平均头围与非SCD患儿无显著差异（p > 0.05）。在11 - 15岁年龄组中，SCD患儿的发育迟缓患病率显著高于非SCD患儿。在11 - 15岁年龄组中，发育迟缓的SCD患儿的平均头围显著低于未发育迟缓的患儿（51.7对53.5；P = 0.006）。
SCD患儿的头围与非SCD患儿无显著差异。因此，一般人群的头围生长曲线图表也适用于监测SCD患儿的头部生长。营养不良对SCD患儿头围的影响在11 - 15岁年龄组最为明显。
