Hemodynamic profile of cerebral arteries using transcranial Doppler in children with sickle cell disease compared to children without sickle cell disease : Prospective analytical study

Abstract Background : Cerebral vasculopathy is a frequent and serious complication of major sickle cell syndromes. DTC makes it possible to detect stenoses of the main arteries of the base of the skull, before the occurrence of the stroke and to initiate therapies aimed at preventing the occurrence of the clinical accident. The objective of the study is to evaluate and compare the hemodynamic profile of the middle cerebral artery using transcranial Doppler in children with sickle cell disease compared to children without sickle cell disease. Method : Prospective analytical study extended over a period of 6 months, i.e. from July 4, 2023 to December 28, 2023. The study population consisted of subjects followed for homozygous sickle cell disease SS and non-sickle cell subjects received at the above-mentioned centers, of all sexes combined, ages 2 to 16 years at most. Results : We recruited 182 children (52.2% male and 47.8% female) divided into 70 children with sickle cell disease and 112 children without sickle cell disease. The mean VSM on the left was 85.0 ± 49.5 cm/s in sickle cell patients and 84.5 ± 17.8 cm/s in non-sickle cell patients. The mean VTD was 40.9 ± 31.2 cm/s in sickle cell patients and 44.0 ± 15.8 cm/s in non-sickle cell patients. The mean VMT was 53.22 ± 39.0 cm/s in sickle cell patients and 57.5 ± 16.3 cm/s in non-sickle cell patients. Conclusion : The mean velocity of children with sickle cell disease was lower than that of non-sickle cell patients, and the peak systolic velocity of children with sickle cell disease was slightly higher than those of children without sickle cell disease.