International Journal of Medicine and Medical Science Research  Vol. 3(1), pp. 006-012, April 2015 ©2015 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Vitamin E status of steady state sickle cell anaemia patients compared to normal controls

Tukur MA¹*, Odeh SO², Ambe JP³, Eyinkwola O² and Mojiminiyi FO⁴

¹Department of Human Physiology, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

²Department of Human Physiology, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

³Department of Paediatrics, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Human Physiology, Usman Danfodio University Sokoto

*Corresponding author. E-mail: maisaratuahidjo@yahoo.com.

Accepted 2 April, 2015

Abstract

Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited disorder of haemoglobin characterized by sickled red blood cells and increased destruction of these cells. This research aims to study the antioxidant vitamin E in blood sample of steady state sickle cell anaemia patients and that of non-sickle cell anaemia in Maiduguri, Borno State, North-eastern Nigeria. Sickle-cell anaemia is a hereditary disorder, which results into various types of crisis such as chronic acute pain syndromes, severe bacterial infections, and necrosis (tissue death), although, there is no cure for sickle cell disease. However, with a nutritionally balanced diet, other supplements such as vitamins E, A and C, well hydration and taking care of infection potentially help lessen the effects of the disorder. Vitamin E improves vascular endothelial vasodilatory function by inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation or by protein kinase activation or by enhancement of nitric oxide (NO) dependent mechanism. It also increases femoral blood flow (FBF) and decreased forearm vascular resistance in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients. This study was carried out on steady state sickle cell anaemia patients attending the paediatrics and haematology clinics of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) as a referral center. Undergraduate students, secondary, primary and pre-primary school students of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, were incorporated in the study as controls. A total number of 120 subjects were enrolled into the study constituting 60 subjects with homozygous SS, and 60 controls who are homozygous AA. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the determination of the vitamin E. The mean vitamin E in SCA in relation to age, occupation, educational level, and BMI were 0.072 ± 0.004 mg/ml, 0.059 ± 0.001 mg/ml, 0.071 ± 0.001 mg/ml, 0.70 ± 0.001 mg/ml respectively and that of the control were 0.092 ± 0.001 mg/ml, 0.081 ± 0.001 mg/ml, 0.092 ± 0.001 mg/ml, and 0.103 ± 0.001 mg/ml. These values were significantly lower (P˂0.05) in SCA patients compared to that of the control. In conclusion, there is a decrease in vitamin E levels in SCA patients in the steady state with controls. These results also showed that the level of education improved the vitamin level of the SCA patients.

Key words: Sickle cell anaemia, vitamin E, age, level of education.