Sickle Cell Disease and the Respiratory System: A Tangential Perspective to the Hematopulmonological Dilemma

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetically inherited hematological condition that predominantly affects the African-American subset of the population. It leads to the precipitation of multi-systematic manifestations throughout the course of the life of the patient leading to an increased rate of inpatient admissions and decreased quality of life. This article has reviewed some of the most common pulmonary complications of SCD with a brief overview of the clinical features and their management and has also highlighted the fatality of the complications placing a strong focus on screening, monitoring, and the treatment of the disease. The article has also discussed the management of SCD from a pulmonological perspective rather than hematological alone.

Automated summary

Sickle cell disease primarily affects the African-American population, causing multi-system symptoms, increased hospital admissions, and decreased quality of life. The article reviews common pulmonary complications of SCD, emphasizing the fatality of these complications and advocating for screening, monitoring, and treatment. The management of SCD is discussed from a pulmonological perspective rather than just a hematological one.