TY - JOUR T1 - Pulmonary function indices in children with sickle cell anemia in Enugu, south-east Nigeria JF - Saudi Medical Journal JO - Saudi Med J SP - 928 LP - 934 DO - 10.15537/smj.2015.8.11525 VL - 36 IS - 8 AU - Kingsley I. Achigbu AU - Odutola I. Odetunde AU - Josephat M. Chinawa AU - Eberechukwu O. Achigbu AU - Anthony N. Ikefuna AU - Ifeoma J. Emodi AU - Bede C. Ibe Y1 - 2015/08/01 UR - http://smj.org.sa/content/36/8/928.abstract N2 - Objectives: To determine the pulmonary function indices of children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) attending the pediatric sickle cell clinic at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, south-east Nigeria and to compare these indices with the results obtained from other regions.Methods: A case control study of lung function in children with SCA aged 6-20 years. The study was carried out in the University of Nigeria/University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Nigeria between October 2014 and January 2015. Measurements of the peak expiratory flow rate, forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were evaluated.Results: A total of 80 subjects were recruited into the study, comprising 40 homozygous HbSS (hemoglobin SS) patients and an equal number of controls. Children with SCA had statistically lower values of FEV1 (1.6±0.52), FVC (1.76±0.95), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) (309.00±82.64) when compared with normal hemoglobin genotype FEV1 (12.01±0.53), FVC (2.12±0.54), and PEFR (364.10±87.85). The mean FVC, FEV1/FVC, and PEFR were also higher in the male control group compared with the HbSS male group, but these differences were not statistically significant. Female controls had significantly larger FEV1, FVC, and PEFR values compared with the HbSS females.Conclusion: The lung function indices were significantly lower in children and adolescents with SCA compared with the matched controls with a hemoglobin genotype AA. ER -