Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Transcranial Doppler is an effective diagnostic tool to detect sickle cell children at risk for stroke. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of Malagasy children aged between 24 months and 15 years (group 1: 57 sickle cell diseases, group 2: 43 controls) to assess the cerebral artery velocimetry in the patient population. Transcranial doppler ultrasound with analysis of cerebral blood flow was performed in children of both groups. RESULTS: In subjects with sickle cell disease, the mean velocity (MV) in the middle cerebral artery was 100.9 ± 26.8 cm/s, pulsatility index (PI) was 0.73 ± 0.20, the difference between the right and left middle cerebral artery (MCA) was 19.8 ± 21.5 cm/s, anterior cerebral artery/middle cerebral artery flow velocity ratio (ACA / MCA) was 0.7 ± 0.2. In children without sickle cell disease, MV: 80.6 ± 19.3 cm/s, IP: 0.79 ± 0.14, ACMr: 17 ± 20.1 cm/s, ACA/ACM: 0,8 ± 0,2. The velocity in children with sickle cell disease was higher than in the control group. Velocities were correlated with hemoglobin and age but not with sex and mean corpuscular volume. CONCLUSION: Cerebral Circulation Speeds are higher in children with sickle cell disease and are influenced by hemoglobin levels and age.