Vitamin D deficiency in sickle cell disease patients in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a major global health problem. In sickle cell disease (SCD), VDD is highly prevalent, reaching up to 96% of populations. VDD may contribute to many of the complications of SCD.

Alpha thalassemia allelic frequency in Lebanon.

Background: Hemoglobinopathies are the most common reported monogenic disorders worldwide. It is well established that Mediterranean and Arab countries are high risk areas for thalassemia in general, and for alpha thalassemia in particular. Reports of alpha thalassemia gene mutations from the Lebanese population are limited.

Pulmonary hypertension in children and young adults with sickle cell disease: evidence for familial clustering.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) is increasingly recognized as a serious complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Our objective was to determine the prevalence of PHTN and identify factors associated with PHTN among children and young adults with SCD in Lebanon.

Procedure: From June 2004 to June 2008, 90 patients were studied.

Venous sinus thrombosis leading to stroke in a patient with sickle cell disease on hydroxyurea and high hemoglobin levels: treatment with thrombolysis.

A 21-year-old man with homozygous sickle cell disease maintained on hydroxyurea for 1 year developed thrombosis of the superior sagittal, right transverse, and right sigmoid dural sinuses with a large venous infarct. He was successfully treated with endovascular thrombolysis. Investigation did not reveal any inherited or acquired hypercoagulable state.

Familial infantile pyknocytosis in association with pulmonary hypertension.

Infantile pyknocytosis is a rare condition characterized by transient neonatal hemolytic anemia associated with increased pyknocyte count on blood smear. We describe three siblings with infantile pyknocytosis, born to consanguineous parents. The first and third siblings had neonatal hemolytic anemia that resolved spontaneously at 6 months.