Ahmed Anwar E, Ali Yosra Z, Al-Suliman Ahmad M, Albagshi Jafar M, Al Salamah Majid, Elsayid Mohieldin, Alanazi Wala R, Ahmed Rayan A, McClish Donna K, Al-Jahdali Hamdan
College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
J Blood Med. 2017 Oct 25;8:185-191. doi: 10.2147/JBM.S148463. eCollection 2017.
High white blood cell (WBC) count is an indicator of sickle cell disease (SCD) severity, however, there are limited studies on WBC counts in Saudi Arabian patients with SCD. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of abnormal leukocyte count (either low or high) and identify factors associated with high WBC counts in a sample of Saudi patients with SCD.
A cross-sectional and retrospective chart review study was carried out on 290 SCD patients who were routinely treated at King Fahad Hospital in Hofuf, Saudi Arabia. An interview was conducted to assess clinical presentations, and we reviewed patient charts to collect data on blood test parameters for the previous 6 months.
Almost half (131 [45.2%]) of the sample had abnormal leukocyte counts: low WBC counts 15 (5.2%) and high 116 (40%). High WBC counts were associated with shortness of breath (=0.022), tiredness (=0.039), swelling in hands/feet (=0.020), and back pain (=0.007). The mean hemoglobin was higher in patients with normal WBC counts (=0.024), while the mean hemoglobin S was high in patients with high WBC counts (=0.003). After adjustment for potential confounders, predictors of high WBC counts were male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=3.63) and patients with cough (aOR=2.18), low hemoglobin (aOR=0.76), and low heart rate (aOR=0.97).
Abnormal leukocyte count was common: approximately five in ten Saudi SCD patients assessed in this sample. Male gender, cough, low hemoglobin, and low heart rate were associated with high WBC count. Strategies targeting high WBC count could prevent disease complication and thus could be beneficial for SCD patients.
高白细胞（WBC）计数是镰状细胞病（SCD）严重程度的一个指标，然而，关于沙特阿拉伯SCD患者白细胞计数的研究有限。本研究的目的是估计异常白细胞计数（低或高）的患病率，并确定沙特SCD患者样本中与高白细胞计数相关的因素。
对在沙特阿拉伯胡富夫法赫德国王医院接受常规治疗的290例SCD患者进行了一项横断面回顾性病历审查研究。进行了一次访谈以评估临床表现，并查阅患者病历以收集过去6个月的血液检测参数数据。
几乎一半（131例[45.2%]）的样本白细胞计数异常：低白细胞计数15例（5.2%），高白细胞计数116例（40%）。高白细胞计数与呼吸急促（P=0.022）、疲劳（P=0.039）、手脚肿胀（P=0.020）和背痛（P=0.007）相关。白细胞计数正常的患者平均血红蛋白较高（P=0.024），而白细胞计数高的患者平均血红蛋白S较高（P=0.003）。在对潜在混杂因素进行调整后，高白细胞计数的预测因素为男性（调整后的优势比[aOR]=3.63）以及咳嗽患者（aOR=2.18）、低血红蛋白（aOR=0.76）和低心率（aOR=0.97）。
异常白细胞计数很常见：在该样本中评估的沙特SCD患者中约十分之五。男性、咳嗽、低血红蛋白和低心率与高白细胞计数相关。针对高白细胞计数的策略可以预防疾病并发症，因此对SCD患者可能有益。
