PREVALENCE OF SICKLE-CELL DISEASE IN SAUDI ARABIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: A series of hemoglobinopathies known collectively as sickle cell disease (SCD) contain abnormalities in the gene encoding the beta component of haemoglobin. There are other subcategories that fall under the SCD umbrella, including sickle cell disease (SCD), haemoglobin SC disease (HbSC), and haemoglobin sickle-beta thalassemia (beta-thalassemia positive or beta-thalassemia negative). The prevalence of SCD varies greatly across Saudi Arabia, with the Eastern province having the greatest frequency and the southern regions having the second-highest prevalence. The reported sickle-cell prevalence ranges from 2% to 27%, and in some regions, up to 2.6% of people will have SCD.

Objectives: The study aims to summarize current evidences regarding Prevalence of Sickle-Cell Disease in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: For article selection, the PubMed database and EBSCO Information Services were used. All relevant articles relevant with our topic and other articles were used in our review. Other articles that were not related to this field were excluded. The data was extracted in a specific format that was reviewed by the group members.

Conclusion: Although the prevenance of sickle cell anemia is relatively high due to multiple reasons such as consanguinity, the prevalence of genetic diseases in Saudi Arabia may be significantly lowered during the following decades as a result of premarital screening there. Also, acute chest syndrome in SCD patients is relatively infrequent in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, it nonetheless has a major impact on morbidity and death. If patients with African haplotypes are compared, it has a low prevalence and recurrence.