Cardiovascular findings in children with sickle-cell disease

Abstract

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Summary: The physical findings in 96 children with sickle-cell disease (SCD) and in 52 age - and sex - natched controls, were compared with a view to defining the cardiovascular sequelae of SCD. The pulse rates of the sicklers were faster than those of the controls (P<0.01). The systolic blood pressures were higher and the diastolic, lower in the subjects than in the controls making the pulse pressures of the sicklers significantly wider than those of the controls (P<0.001). The apex dis tance from the midline was further in the sicklers than in the controls (P = 0.02) and was related to the severity and duration of anaemia. Murmurs occurred more commonly among the subjects than the controls (P<0.01), the commonest mur murs being soft, ejection systolic in timing and located most often at the left upper sternal edge. Prevalence of murmurs was related to severity, but not duration of anaemia.