Acute Crises and Complications of Sickle Cell Anemia Among Patients Attending a Pediatric Tertiary Unit in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic Of Congo.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the incidence of sickle cell anemia (SCA) is estimated to affect 30,000 to 40,000 neonates per year. However, there is paucity of data on acute clinical manifestations in sickle cell children. In these circumstances, it is difficult to develop a health care policy for an adequate management of sickle cell patients.

Validity of simple clinical and biological parameters as screening tool for sickle cell anemia for referral to tertiary center in highly resource constraints.

Background: In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the incidence of sickle cell anemia (SCA) is estimated around 40 000 neonates per year. However, it is notoriously difficult to perform conventional electrophoresis in all hospitals and laboratories, especially at peripheral levels and rural area. A panel of multiple clinical and laboratory features that would enhance sickle cell disease were assessed for the detection of the disease in highly resource-scarce settings.

High rate of sickle cell anaemia in Sub-Saharan Africa underlines the need to screen all children with severe anaemia for the disease.

Aim: Neonatal screening for sickle cell anaemia is not common practice in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and we determined the prevalence in children with unknown electrophoresis of haemoglobin and anaemia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four hospitals in the country's capital Kinshasa.

Results: We screened 807 patients with anaemia (Hb < 6 g/dL) for sickle cell disease.

A rare occurrence of hairy cell leukemia in a congolese child: a presentation and challenge of diagnosis in low resource settings.

Background: Hairy cell leukemia is a rare form of leukemia and has been rarely reported in African and pediatric population.

Observation: We are reporting a 4-year-old child who was received for investigation for persistent anemia, prolonged fever, and thrombocytopenia. Bone marrow aspiration showed hypercellular marrow with cells characterized by irregular windblown-appearing cell borders with pseudopod-like projections.