Jasz
VIP Contributor
Can Sickle Cell Patients Live for Long?
Sickle cell disease is a genetic, life-long disorder that affects one in every 365 African Americans. According to the NIH, symptoms of the disease include: Chronic, periodic pain; joint pain; muscle/limb pain; mild and severe infections. The NIH also states that there is no cure for sickle cell disease at this time.
The life expectancy of people with sickle cell anemia, once about 40 years for men and 50 for women, has increased to 70 and 75, respectively. The greatest strides have been made in preventing and treating infections. With the discovery of hydroxyurea, a medicine that relieves painful crises without increasing the risk of infection or other side effects, many patients are living reasonably normal lives.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease affecting more than 100 million people worldwide. Those suffering from it simply need a healthy diet and lifestyle to manage their symptoms.
Scientists have also discovered in an animal model that a gene called SHIP, which is found in red blood cells, prevents sickling and protects the cells from damage. In a healthy person, SHIP either does not get turned on or it gets turned off after a certain period of time. But in people with sickle cell disease, some of their blood cells have an abnormality with this genetic structure called a deletion, which keeps them from turning off the gene.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic, life-long disorder that affects one in every 365 African Americans. According to the NIH, symptoms of the disease include: Chronic, periodic pain; joint pain; muscle/limb pain; mild and severe infections. The NIH also states that there is no cure for sickle cell disease at this time.
The life expectancy of people with sickle cell anemia, once about 40 years for men and 50 for women, has increased to 70 and 75, respectively. The greatest strides have been made in preventing and treating infections. With the discovery of hydroxyurea, a medicine that relieves painful crises without increasing the risk of infection or other side effects, many patients are living reasonably normal lives.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease affecting more than 100 million people worldwide. Those suffering from it simply need a healthy diet and lifestyle to manage their symptoms.
Scientists have also discovered in an animal model that a gene called SHIP, which is found in red blood cells, prevents sickling and protects the cells from damage. In a healthy person, SHIP either does not get turned on or it gets turned off after a certain period of time. But in people with sickle cell disease, some of their blood cells have an abnormality with this genetic structure called a deletion, which keeps them from turning off the gene.
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