Sickle Cell Anemia

Symptoms of sickle cell include

A. recurrent infections b. nausea C. low red blood cell count D. periodic pain episodes

To help prevent a sickle cell crisis, drink plenty of fluids each day.

Dehydration may bring on a sickle cell crisis. Other preventive tips: • Avoid getting really hot or really cold. Don't swim in cold water. • Manage your stress. • Avoid flying in planes without a pressurized cabin. • Get regular checkups. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a fever or difficulty breathing.

Sickle cell symptoms usually begin

a. 20s/30s B. early childhood c. puberty d. 40s/50s Sickle cell disease is present at birth, but most infants don't show any signs until they are more than 4 months old.

How many copies of the sickle cell gene are needed for a person to have the disorder ?

A. 2 b.3 c.1 d.0 People with sickle cell disease carry two copies of the altered hemoglobin gene. With two copies of the altered gene, the red blood cells are destroyed rapidly, and patients have chronic, severe anemia, or low hemoglobin levels.

Sickle red blood cells have a decreased ability to carry _____.

A. oxygen b. wastes c. nutrients d. proteins Sickle cell anemia inhibits the ability of hemoglobin in red blood cells to carry oxygen

Which is the function of the platelets?

A. stop bleeding by clumping and clotting b. circulates blood cells c. carry oxygen and carbon dioxide d. fight infection

Normal red blood cells last about 120 days, but red blood cells affected by sickle cell disease last only 60 days.

False, Normal red blood cells do last about 120 days, but sickle cells last only 10 to 20 days. The bone marrow, which makes red blood cells, can't keep up with the rate that the sickle cell blood cells die. This leads to anemia—a lower than normal number of red blood cells in the body.

A blood transfusion can cure sickle cell anemia.

False, Sickle cell anemia is a lifelong disease. Although there is no cure for it, treatments are available to ease the pain and help prevent complications. Researchers are currently exploring bone marrow transplants and gene therapy as possible treatments, as well as new medicines for pain relief.

One complication of sickle cell disease is a damaged spleen.

The spleen's role is to filter out abnormal red blood cells from the body and fight infection. The spleen can be damaged by the disease because it may become so clogged with sickle cells that it can't do its job. A person with sickle cell anemia may have a difficult time fighting off infection because of spleen damage. Common infections for a person with sickle cell anemia include pneumonia, influenza, meningitis ,and hepatitis. Other complications of sickle cell anemia include delayed puberty in children, stroke, eye problems, gallstones, and high blood pressure in the lungs.

Sickle beta-plus thalassemia is another form of sickle cell disease.

True, Other forms include sickle beta-zero thalassemia and sickle-hemoglobin C disease.

Sickle-shaped red blood cells don't move easily through blood vessels.

True, Red blood cells affected by sickle cell anemia are stiff, and because of their shape, they tend to get stuck in blood vessels. Sickle-cell blood cells also clump together, blocking the flow of blood and causing pain, organ damage and infection.

People with sickle cell anemia are born with it.

True, The disease is inherited. People with sickle cell anemia inherit a sickle cell gene from each parent. People who inherit a sickle cell gene from only one parent have a condition called sickle cell trait. A person with sickle cell trait can pass on the gene to his or her children.

Sickle cell disease is found worldwide. In the U.S., it mainly affects African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

True, The disease occurs in about 1 in every 500 African-American babies, and in about 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanic-American infants. About one in 12 African Americans has sickle cell trait. Around 3 million Americans carry the trait.

A "sickle cell crisis" means a sudden onset of pain throughout the body.

True, These crises are a common symptom of sickle cell disease. They occur when the sickle-shaped red blood cells clump together and block the flow of blood through small vessels called capillaries. The pain can range from mild to quite severe and lasts several hours to a few days. Other common symptoms are fatigue, pale skin, jaundice, dark urine, cold hands and feet, and shortness of breath—all symptoms of anemia.

The gene that codes for hemoglobin production is called.

a. Hemo b. Heme c. HEM D. HBB The HBB gene provides instructions for making a protein called beta-globin. Beta-globin is a component (subunit) of a larger protein called hemoglobin, which is located inside red blood cells.

Sickle cell is inherited in a _____ pattern

a. autosomal dominant b. incompletely dominant C. autosomal recessive d. codominant The disease has a recessive pattern of inheritance: only individuals with two copies of the sickle-cell allele have the disease. People with just one copy are healthy.

What is the function of the white blood cells ?

a. circulates cells and maintains blood pressure and body temperature b. carry oxygen and carbon dioxide c. stops bleeding by clumping and clotting D. protects against infection and foreign invaders White blood cells are the cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders.

When you look at the cells of individuals with sickle cell anemia, what do you expect to see?

a. globular shaped cells b. sick cells C. c-shaped cells d. disk-shaped cells The red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped

Which is not a symptom of sickle cell disease ?

a. increased infections b. shortness of breath c. pain and tissue damage D. enlarged blood vessels The major features and symptoms of sickle cell anemia include: • Fatigue and anemia. • Pain crises. • Dactylitis (swelling and inflammation of the hands and/or feet) and arthritis. • Bacterial infections. • Sudden pooling of blood in the spleen and liver congestion. • Lung and heart injury. • Leg ulcers.

The HBB gene mutation causes...

a. production of FE groups causing sickled cells b. production of abnormal alpha-globin causing sickled cells c. production of heme groups causing sickled cells D. production of abnormal beta- globin causing sickled cells The HBB gene provides instructions for making a protein called beta-globin. Beta-globin is a component (subunit) of a larger protein called hemoglobin, which is located inside red blood cells.