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What Causes Elevated ESR Levels In A Person With Sickle Cell Trait?

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Posted on Tue, 21 Jul 2015
Question: SIR, I AM XXXXXXX 28 YEARS OLD HAVING A SON BY OPERATION. ME AND MY HUSBAND BOTH ARE SICKLE CELL TRAIT AND OUR SON IS SUFFERING FROM SICKLE CELL ANEMIA. MY HEMOGLOBIN LEVEL IS ABOUT 10 AND BLOOD PRESSURE IS 110/70 ALWAYS. AFTER DELIVERY MY BACK BONE AND ABDOMEN STARTS PAINING. MY SON IS NOW 5 YEARS OLD AND TREATMENT FOR SICKLE CELL IS GOING ON. RECENTLY FOR PAIN I CONSULT A DOCTOR HE ADVISED BLOOD TEST FOR E.S.R, RA FACTOR, HEMOGLOBIN, BLOOD SUGAR RANDOM. ALL TEST ARE NORMAL EXCEPT E.S.R IT IS INCREASED UP TO 50. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE DISEASE INFECTED TO ME AND HOW IT WILL BE CURED.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Sickle cell crisis

Detailed Answer:
Hi there.

Welcome to Healthcare Magic.

I have read your query and understood your problem.

Do you have chronic back pain ?

Do you have any joint pain of knee, elbow etc. ?

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder which affects the shape of the red blood cells. Under low oxygen conditions, the red blood cells deform from disc shape to sickle shape and can obstruct blood vessel and in bones to cause severe pain and less oxygen and blood supply to the bones.

The red blood cells also get destroyed faster than normal red blood cells which causes anaemia. Anaemia can cause increased ESR.

When you consumed your Doctor regarding the back pain and abdominal pain, he/she had advised tests as you mentioned such are baseline tests and also to detect any arthritis.

Usually in Sickle cell disease, bone pains can occur and can cause necrosis or death of part of the bone, osteomyelitis or infection of the bone or even joint problems like arthritis.

In such cases the ESR and RA factor can rise.

Usually I would suggest Xray of the spine to look for any abnormalities and if I suspect bone necrosis or death of the bone or infection, then I would suggest bone scan. This bone scan will help to find out bone death or infection in the bones.

Since you have sustained the stress of child birth surgery, the oxygen may be less in your blood due to the blood loss and increased destruction of the blood cells. You are anaemic because your Haemoglobin should be above 12 to 14mg/dL. This can lead to further problems to the body organs if not treated promptly.

Kindly get tested for other blood counts and blood cell indices like MCI, MCHC to find out the type of anaemia. Also discuss with your Doctor about a bone scan.

Usually for pain in Sickle cell, Hydroxyurea is prescribed in the dose of 15mg/kg/day to start with and after 2 weeks when the blood cell count improves it is titled to 5mg/kg/day. This medicine is very useful to prevent and treat acute pains in the chest and limbs due to Sickle cell.

Kindly discuss with an Orthopaedic surgeon about the possibility of infection, necrosis or Osteoporosis which can occur in the spine in this conform causing the pain.

Eat healthy. Keep well hydrated. Stay stress free with Yoga.

Kindly follow up with me regarding to further condors and progress at any time.

I hope I have answered your query.

Thanking you.

Regards,

Dr. Aashish Raghu

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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Answered by
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Dr. Aashish Raghu

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :2011

Answered : 5481 Questions

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What Causes Elevated ESR Levels In A Person With Sickle Cell Trait?

Brief Answer: Sickle cell crisis Detailed Answer: Hi there. Welcome to Healthcare Magic. I have read your query and understood your problem. Do you have chronic back pain ? Do you have any joint pain of knee, elbow etc. ? Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder which affects the shape of the red blood cells. Under low oxygen conditions, the red blood cells deform from disc shape to sickle shape and can obstruct blood vessel and in bones to cause severe pain and less oxygen and blood supply to the bones. The red blood cells also get destroyed faster than normal red blood cells which causes anaemia. Anaemia can cause increased ESR. When you consumed your Doctor regarding the back pain and abdominal pain, he/she had advised tests as you mentioned such are baseline tests and also to detect any arthritis. Usually in Sickle cell disease, bone pains can occur and can cause necrosis or death of part of the bone, osteomyelitis or infection of the bone or even joint problems like arthritis. In such cases the ESR and RA factor can rise. Usually I would suggest Xray of the spine to look for any abnormalities and if I suspect bone necrosis or death of the bone or infection, then I would suggest bone scan. This bone scan will help to find out bone death or infection in the bones. Since you have sustained the stress of child birth surgery, the oxygen may be less in your blood due to the blood loss and increased destruction of the blood cells. You are anaemic because your Haemoglobin should be above 12 to 14mg/dL. This can lead to further problems to the body organs if not treated promptly. Kindly get tested for other blood counts and blood cell indices like MCI, MCHC to find out the type of anaemia. Also discuss with your Doctor about a bone scan. Usually for pain in Sickle cell, Hydroxyurea is prescribed in the dose of 15mg/kg/day to start with and after 2 weeks when the blood cell count improves it is titled to 5mg/kg/day. This medicine is very useful to prevent and treat acute pains in the chest and limbs due to Sickle cell. Kindly discuss with an Orthopaedic surgeon about the possibility of infection, necrosis or Osteoporosis which can occur in the spine in this conform causing the pain. Eat healthy. Keep well hydrated. Stay stress free with Yoga. Kindly follow up with me regarding to further condors and progress at any time. I hope I have answered your query. Thanking you. Regards, Dr. Aashish Raghu