Sickle cell disease and COVID‐19: Susceptibility and severity

Abstract

We surveyed published papers and an international sickle cell disease (SCD) registry to detect susceptibility and clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in SCD patients. COVID‐19 presentation was mild in children and moderate in many SCD adults. Regarding increased comorbidities with age, it seems severe COVID‐19 to be more common in older SCD patients. Although the overall outcome of COVID‐19 was favorable in SCD children, a high rate of pediatric intensive care unit admission should be considered in managing these patients. To explain COVID‐19 outcome in SCD patients, the possible benefits of hydroxyurea therapy could be considered. The obtained results should be interpreted, considering low cases from sub‐Saharan people, younger age of SCD patients compared to general population, a bias toward registry of the more severe form of disease, the effect of pre‐existing comorbidities with multisystem organ damage, and the role of health socio‐economic determinants.