Sickle cell disease is associated with glomerular and tabular structural abnormalities, hemodynamic changes and renal hormone synthesis alterations (erythropoietin, renin, prostaglandins). These changes appear in childhood with consequences including chronic anemia, increased blood flow and vaso-occlusion, especially within the renal medulla. In SS disease, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is markedly higher in young patients but this drops with age. As a consequence of abnormalities in the distal nephron function there is reduced capacity of urine acidification, potassium excretion and hyposthenuria. Among the clinical effects of the latter are polyuria, nocturia, enuresis and a susceptability for dehydration. Abnormalities of the proximal tubular function include increased reabsorption of phosphates and b2 microglobulin and incresed secretion of uric acid and creatinine. For this reason, creatinine clearance significantly overestimates the glomerular filtration rate making creatinine learance inappropriate to detect early renal function impairment. Proteinuria occurs in 29-50% of over 10-years-old SS patients with 2/3 progressing to chronic renal failure. The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor proves to be successful to reduce proteinuria which may have an impact of the progression of renal failure. Microalbuminuria is a sensitive marker of sickle nephropathy that precedes proteinuria. In pediatric population a prevalence of 19% of microbuminuria was observed; a percentage that increases with age and has a positive association with lower hemoglobin levels, higher leucocyte counts and acute chest syndrome. Screening for microalbuminuria is recommended from the age of 10 years old. A multicentric trial is ongoing with the aim of demonstrate potential benefits of early hydroxyurea therapy in the prevention of chronic organic lesions. (BabyHUG).
Sickle cell disease; renal abnormalitie; proteinuria