OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the anthropometric status of children and adolescents with sickle cell disease seen at a pediatric hospital in Rio de Janeiro county, Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study collected data from medical records, which included anthropometric, sociodemographic, clinical, and hematological measurements from the last medical appointment in 2006. RESULTS: The study comprised 161 children and adolescents of which 15.5% were stunted (height-for-age <-2 Z-scores) and 5.7% were wasted (body mass index-for-age <-2 Z-scores). Children with low birth weight and those whose caregivers did not live with a partner had lower height-for-age Z-scores than children with appropriate birth weight (p=0.030) and those whose caregivers lived with a partner (p=0.003), respectively. CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents with sickle cell disease showed a higher prevalence of stunting and wasting than the general population, and low birth weight and caregivers who did not live with a partner were associated with smaller height.
Adolescent; Sickle cell anemia; Child; Sickle cell disease; Nutritional status
