Biomarkers of sickle cell nephropathy in Senegal

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273745
• Publication Date: 2022-11-21T18:44:37Z
• Authors: El Hadji Malick N...; Khuthala Mnika; Fatou Guèye Tall; Moussa Seck; Indou Dème Ly; Victoria Nembaware; Gaston Kuzamunu M...; Hélène Ange Thérè...; Rokhaya Dione; Aliou Abdoulaye N...; Jean Pascal Demba...; Nènè Oumou Kesso ...; Moustapha Djité; Rokhaya Ndiaye Di...; Papa Madièye Guèye; Saliou Diop; Ibrahima Diagne; Aynina Cissé; Ambroise Wonkam; Philomène Lopez Sall
• Keywords: Adult; Adolescent; Science; Anemia, Sickle Cell; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Albuminuria; Vascular Diseases; Renal Insufficiency; Child; Aged; Q; R; Middle Aged; Senegal; 3. Good health; Proteinuria; Child, Preschool; Case-Control Studies; Medicine; Female; Kidney Diseases; Biomarkers; Research Article

Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is caused by a single point variation in the β-globin gene (HBB): c.20A> T (p.Glu7Val), in homozygous state. SCA is characterized by sickling of red blood cells in small blood vessels which leads to a range of multiorgan complications, including kidney dysfunction. This case-control study aims at identifying sickle cell nephropathy biomarkers in a group of patients living with SCA from Senegal. A total of 163 patients living with SCA and 177 ethnic matched controls were investigated. Biological phenotyping included evaluation of glycemia, glucosuria, albuminuria, proteinuria, tubular proteinuria, serum creatinine, urine creatinine, urine specific gravity and glomerular filtration rate. Descriptive statistics of biomarkers were performed using the χ2 –test, with the significance level set at p<0.05. Patients living with SCA had a median age of 20 years (range 4 to 57) with a female sex frequency of 53.21%. The median age of the control participants was 29 years (range: 4–77) with a female sex frequency of 66.09%. The following proportions of abnormal biological indices were observed in SCA patients versus (vs.) controls, as follows: hyposthenuria: 35.3%vs.5.2% (p<0.001); glomerular hyperfiltration: 47.66%vs.19.75% (p<0.001), renal insufficiency: 5.47%vs.3.82% (p = 0.182); microalbuminuria: 42.38%vs.5.78% (p<0.001); proteinuria: 39.33%vs.4.62% (p<0.001); tubular proteinuria: 40.97%vs.4.73% (p<0.001) and microglucosuria: 22.5%vs.5.1% (p<0.001). This study shows a relatively high proportion of SCA nephropathy among patients living with SCA in Senegal. Microglucosuria, proteinuria, tubular proteinuria, microalbuminuria, hyposthenuria and glomerular hyperfiltration are the most prevalent biomarkers of nephropathy in this group of Senegalese patients with SCA.