BackgroundElevation of echocardiography-determined tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity predicts high systolic pulmonary artery pressure and early mortality in adults with sickle cell disease. The definition, prevalence and clinical correlates of elevated jet velocity have not been established in pediatric patients. The present study tested the hypotheses that elevated jet velocity affects 10% of pediatric patients, is associated with both hemolysis and hypoxia, and has clinical correlates with acute chest syndrome, stroke, transfusion requirement and abnormal 6-minute walk test results. Design and MethodsA prospective multicenter study of 310 patients aged 3-20 years old with sickle cell disease under basal conditions and 54 matched controls was conducted. A hemolytic index was generated by principal component analysis of the levels of lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin and reticulocyte count. ResultsElevated jet velocity (defined as ≥2.60 m/sec based on the mean±2 SD in controls) occurred in 32 patients (11.0%) including one child of 3 years old. After adjustment for hemoglobin concentration, systolic blood pressure and left ventricular diastolic function, a 2 SD increase in the hemolytic index was associated with a 4.5-fold increase in the odds of elevated jet velocity (p=0.009) and oxygen saturation ≤98% with a 3.2-fold increase (p=0.028). Two or more episodes of acute chest syndrome had occurred in 28% of children with elevated jet velocity compared to in 13% of other children (p=0.012), more than ten units of blood had been transfused in 39% versus 18% (p=0.017) and stroke had occurred in 19% versus 11% (p=0.2). The distance walked in 6-minute walk tests did not differ significantly, but oxygen saturation declined during the tests in 68% of children with elevated jet velocity compared to in 32% of other children (p=0.0002). ConclusionsAccording to a pediatric-specific definition the prevalence of elevated jet velocity in this population of young patients with sickle cell disease was 11%. The study provides evidence for independent associations of elevated jet velocity with hemolysis and oxygen desaturation. Further investigations should address whether elevated jet velocity may indicate future complications and whether early intervention is beneficial.Key words: sickle cell disease, pulmonary hypertension, hemolysis, oxygen saturation, tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity, children.Citation: Minniti CP, Sable C, Campbell A, Rana S, Ensing G, Dham N, Onyekwere O, Nouraie M, Kato GJ, Gladwin MT, Castro OL, and Gordeuk VR. Elevated tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease: association with hemolysis and hemoglobin oxygen desaturation. Haematologica 2009; 94:340-347. doi:10.3324/haematol.13812 ©2009 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

BackgroundWhile in adults with sickle cell disease an elevation of tricuspid regurgitation velocity is associated with increased mortality, the importance of this finding in children has not been established. The role of intravascular hemolysis in the development of this complication is controversial. Design and MethodsWe conducted a prospective, longitudinal, multi-center study of 160 individuals aged 3-20 years with hemoglobin SS, performing baseline and follow-up determinations of clinical markers, six-minute walk distance less than tricuspid regurgitation velocity and E/Etdi ratio by echocardiography. ResultsAt baseline, 14.1% had tricuspid regurgitation velocity of 2.60 m/sec or over, which suggests elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and 7.7% had increased E/Etdi, which suggests elevated left ventricular filling pressure. Over a median of 22 months, baseline elevation in tricuspid regurgitation velocity was associated with an estimated 4.4-fold increase in the odds of a 10% or more decline in age-standardized six-minute-walk distance (P=0.015). During this interval, baseline values above the median for a hemolytic component derived from four markers of hemolysis were associated with a 9.0-fold increase in the odds of the new onset of elevated tricuspid regurgitation velocity (P=0.008) and baseline E/Etdi elevation was associated with an estimated 6.1-fold increase in the odds (P=0.039). In pathway analysis, higher baseline hemolytic component and E/Etdi predicted elevated tricuspid regurgitation velocity at both baseline and follow up, and these elevations in turn predicted decline in six-minute-walk distance. ConclusionsFurther studies should define the long-term risks of elevated tricuspid regurgitation velocity in childhood and identify potential interventions to prevent increased pulmonary artery pressure and preserve function.Key words: sickle cell anemia, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, E/Etdi, hemolysis, six minute walk. Sable C, Dham N, Ensing G, Prchal JT, Kato GJ, Gladwin MT and Castro Citation: Gordeuk VR, Minniti CP, Nouraie M, Campbell AD, Rana SR, Luchtman-Jones L,

Objective To identify factors associated with frequent severe vaso-occlusive pain crises in a contemporary pediatric cohort of sickle cell anemia (SCA)enrolled in a prospective study of pulmonary hypertension and the hypoxic response in sickle cell disease (SCD). Study design Clinical and laboratory characteristics of children with SCA who had ≥3 severe pain crises requiring health care in the preceding year were compared with subjects with <3 such episodes. Results Seventy-five children (20%) reported ≥3 severe pain episodes in the preceding year, and 232 (61%) had none. Frequent pain episodes were associated with older age (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1–1.3; P<0.0001), α-thalassemia trait (OR 3.5; 1.6–6.7; P=0.002), higher median hemoglobin (OR 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2–2.4; P<0.003) and lower lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration (OR 1.82; 95% CI: 1.07–3.11; P = 0.027). Children with high pain frequency also had an increased iron burden (serum ferritin 480 vs. 198 μg/L; P=0.006) and higher median tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity (2.41 vs. 2.31 m/s; P=0.001). Neither hydroxy urea use nor fetal hemoglobin levels were significantly different according to severe pain history. Conclusions In our cohort of children with SCA increasing age was associated with higher frequency of severe pain episodes as were α-thalassemia, iron overload, higher hemoglobin and lower LDH concentration and higher tricuspid regurgitation velocity.

Summary Low steady state haemoglobin oxygen saturation in patients with sickle cell anaemia has been associated with the degree of anaemia and haemolysis. How much pulmonary dysfunction contributes to low saturation is not clear. In a prospective study of children and adolescents with sickle cell disease aged 3–20 years at steady state and matched controls, 52% of 391 patients versus 24% of 63 controls had steady state oxygen saturation <99% (P < 0·0001), 9% of patients versus no controls had saturation <95% (P = 0·008) and 8% of patients versus no controls had exercise‐induced reduction in saturation ≥3%. Decreasing haemoglobin concentration (P ≤ 0·001) and increasing haemolysis (P ≤ 0·003) but not pulmonary function tests were independent predictors of both lower steady‐state saturation and exercise‐induced reduction in saturation. Neither history of stroke nor history of acute chest syndrome was significantly associated with lower steady‐state oxygen saturation or exercise‐induced reduction in saturation. Tricuspid regurgitation velocity was higher in patients with lower steady state haemoglobin oxygen saturation (P = 0·003) and with greater decline in oxygen saturation during the six‐minute walk (P = 0·022). In conclusion, lower haemoglobin oxygen saturation is independently associated with increasing degrees of anaemia and haemolysis but not pulmonary function abnormalities among children and adolescents with sickle cell disease.

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