Growth patterns of children with Sickle cell disease

The growth status of 46 American Black children with sickle cell anemia (SS) and 26 children with sickle cell trait (AS) were compared with that of normal Black children from Philadelphia. As a group, the children with SS were shown to have lower heights, weights, sitting heights, biacromial breadths, bicondylar femur breadths, upper arm circumferences, and calf circumferences, but not triceps skinfold (girls only), than normal children of comparable chronological ages. They showed a considerable delay in skeletal maturation at all ages compared with normals. Log₁₀ weight/height ratios indicated that the SS boys were thinner for their heights than the SS girls, as well as the AS boys or girls, and normal boys or girls. This was especially true at the taller heights. The SS girls were shown to be slightly thinner for their heights than normals at lower heights, but equal to normals at taller heights. Sickle cell trait children showed delays in skeletal maturation when compared with normal children. Sickle cell trait males additionally showed decreased biacromial breadth and females with sickle cell trait showed decreased values on all measures except sitting height and triceps skinfold thickness.