Can a Caucasian have sickle cell?

Sickle cell trait is an inherited blood disorder that affects 1 million to 3 million Americans and 8 to 10 percent of African Americans. Sickle cell trait can also affect Hispanics, South Asians, Caucasians from southern Europe, and people from Middle Eastern countries.

What is the definitive indicator of sickle cell anemia?

Complete blood count (CBC)—among other things, the CBC indicates the number of red blood cells as well as the amount of hemoglobin and will evaluate the size and shape of the RBCs present. This test is used to detect anemia.

How can sickle cell kill a person?

Sickle cell can also cause stroke. It damages many organs (impairing the kidney’s ability to concentrate urine; infarcting (death from low oxygen/blood flow) areas of bone marrow, etc–it’s how the spleen is lost too). When this happens in the brain you get permanent neurologic damage (mild to severe).

What is the life span of a sickle cell?

New and aggressive treatments for sickle cell disease are prolonging life and improving its quality. As recently as 1973, the average lifespan for people with sickle cell disease was only 14 years. Currently, life expectancy for these patients can reach 50 years and over.

Is sickle cell a curable disease?

Sickle cell anemia is a disease that for the most part cannot be cured. Most people cope with Sickle cell because it is so hard to find a person to help with their cure. A way to cure Sickle cell anemia is to receive a bone marrow transplant to replace the red blood cells.

What is the prognosis for sickle cell disease?

Some people with the disease can remain without symptoms for years, while others do not survive beyond infancy or early childhood. New treatments for sickle cell disease are improving life expectancy and quality of life. People with sickle cell disease can survive beyond their 50s with optimal management of the disease.