Sickle Cell Anemia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sickle Cell Anemia, including details on genetics, causes, symptoms.

Sudden death in a patient newly diagnosed with diabetes having hyperosmolar non-ketotic acidosis with sickle cell trait.

Biedrzycki O, Gillespie H, Lucas S

St George's Hospital, Tooting, London, UK. olafbiedrzycki@aol.com

Sickle cell trait (SCT) has a UK urban population rate estimated at 3.2%. The condition may remain unrecognised, but sudden death is a recognised feature. The sudden death of a 51-year-old man with SCT who presented with hyperosmolar non-ketotic acidosis (HONK) as his first presentation of diabetes is reported here. After admission to hospital, a rapid deterioration was seen in his condition, with loss of cardiac output, leading to death. He was found to have had acute-chest syndrome and hepatosplenic infarction on postmortem examination. The pathophysiology of sudden death in patients with SCT and the role of HONK in the patient's demise is discussed here.

Published 28 July 2006 in J Clin Pathol, 59(8): 882-3.
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