stroke in sickle cell anaemia

Last reviewed 01/2018

Cerebrovascular events occur in up to 8% of patients by age 14:

• usually the result of large vessel disease
• recurrences cluster within three years of the first event
• stroke may be predicted by transcranial doppler or by the presence of sleep apnoea

In children at risk of stroke an aggressive policy of blood transfusion, with the aim of reducing HbS to less than 30%, may reduce morbidity.