Abstract #2030
White matter abnormalities in children with sickle cell anaemia: Potential link with oxygen desaturation
Jamie M Kawadler 1 , Fenella J Kirkham 2 , Simon Barker 3 , Tim CS Cox 4 , and Chris A Clark 1
1
Imaging & Biophysics Unit, UCL Institute of
Child Health, London, United Kingdom,
2
Neurosciences
Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, United
Kingdom,
3
Wessex
Neurological Centre, Southampton University Hospitals
NHS Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom,
4
Radiology,
Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, London, United
Kingdom
Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a genetic disorder
affecting the oxygen-carrying capacity of haemoglobin.
In children, overt and silent stroke are prevalent. In
those with no apparent stroke on MRI, white matter (WM)
abnormalities have been described, but links to
disease-mediating factors (i.e. chronic anaemia and
oxygen desaturation) are unknown. We performed a
whole-brain voxel-wise WM analysis, finding anisotropy
decreases in subcortical WM and increases in diffusivity
widespread across the brain in patients compared to
controls. We also found a trend correlation between
lower daytime oxygen saturation and higher radial
diffusivity in patients, which may have implications for
oxygen therapy.
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