We’ve had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Andrew Campbell, director of the Consortium for the Advancement of Sickle Cell Research (CASiRe), to discuss the recent publication of two important research papers, and to go into greater depth about the systemic barriers that prevent access to care for sickle cell patients across the globe.

Noted pediatric hematologist, Dr. Raffaella Colombatti provides perspective on her multinational CASiRe study (Consortium for the Advancement of Sickle Cell Research) of sickle cell disease in Europe.

Renowned expert, Dr. Andrew Campbell, Director of the CASiRe Consortium, provides an update on an international study of nearly 900 sickle cell disease patients from Ghana, Italy, the UK, and US.

This cross-sectional cohort sub-study of 659 sickle cell patients aimed to determine the geographic distribution and risk factors associated with leg ulcers. The prevalence of leg ulcers was 10.3% and was associated with older age, SS genotype, male gender, and Ghanaian origin. In fact, the highest prevalence (18.6%) was observed in Ghana.

Albuminuria, proteinuria, increased markers of hemolysis (lower hemoglobin, higher total bilirubin), lower oxygen saturation, and lower body mass index were also associated with leg ulceration.

This is the first report of a comprehensive analysis of ethnicity within an international, transcontinental group of SCD patients. The diverse ethnic backgrounds observed in our cohort raises the possibility that genetic and environmental heterogeneity within each SCD population subgroup can affect the clinical phenotype and research outcomes.