[Platelet count in the steady state phase and clinical severity of sickle cell disease in a reference centre for sickle cell disease in Mali].

Risk factors associated with complications occurring in sickle cell disease are not fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the existence of an association between the clinical severity of sickle cell disease and platelet count in the steady state phase in patients with sickle cell disease followed up at the Center for Research and Control of Sickle Cell Disease in Bamako, Mali. We conducted a retrospective review of 40 medical records of patients aged 5 to 42 years with sickle cell disease at the Center for Research and Control of Sickle Cell Disease in Bamako, Mali. Clinical severity of sickle cell disease was assessed according to the criteria of VOC and/or hospitalizations < 2 or ≥ 2 per year. Data entry was carried out using the Excel 2013 version. The statistical tests used were the Chi2, Student and Mac Nemar tests. Of the 40 patients, 82.5% had haemolytic phenotype and 17.5% hyperviscous phenotype; complications of sickle cell disease were more frequent in the haemolytic phenotype group (p < 0.05). There was a significant association between mean platelet count ≥ 450 G/L in the steady state phase and the annual number of CVOs ≥ 2 (p = 0.002). This study shows that mean platelet count ≥ 450 G/L in sickle cell patients in the steady state phase could be a risk factor for the frequent occurrence of CVO. It underlines the importance of conducting prospective studies focusing on both hyperplateletosis and platelet activation markers in larger sample sizes, as well as therapeutic trials involving platelet activation inhibitors, such as Crizanlizumab, a humanised anti-P-selectin monoclonal antibodies.