Sickle cell disease (SCD) care is not always easy to locate, and we at DHH want to continue our efforts working toward health equity for SCD patients. Here’s a look at sickle cell disease resources outside the U.S. along with a research update.

Dr. Andrew Campbell shares the reasons that drive him to help people with sickle cell disease in this Heart Behind the White Coat (HBWC) program.

Dr. Andrew Campbell shares his key points for medical students to consider and describes the traits it takes to be a provider of sickle cell care in this Heart Behind the White Coat (HBWC) program.

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.

Dr. Andrew Campbell presents an example of a patient who almost died because she was not heard. In sickle cell patients, pain episodes can precede major complications that need treatment.

Dr. Andrew Campbell shares how communities, patients, and providers can eliminate health inequities in sickle cell disease (SCD).

Dr. Andrew Campbell of Children's National shares his excitement around the increasing treatment arsenal in sickle cell disease and how it might change care.

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.