Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions
Sickle cell disease (SCD), a distinctive and often overlooked illness in the 21st century, is a congenital blood disorder characterized by considerable phenotypic diversity. It comprises a group of disorders, with sickle cell anemia (SCA) being the most prevalent and serious genotype. Although there...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/2/258 |
| _version_ | 1797339467128766464 |
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| author | Victoria Bell Theodoros Varzakas Theodora Psaltopoulou Tito Fernandes |
| author_facet | Victoria Bell Theodoros Varzakas Theodora Psaltopoulou Tito Fernandes |
| author_sort | Victoria Bell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sickle cell disease (SCD), a distinctive and often overlooked illness in the 21st century, is a congenital blood disorder characterized by considerable phenotypic diversity. It comprises a group of disorders, with sickle cell anemia (SCA) being the most prevalent and serious genotype. Although there have been some systematic reviews of global data, worldwide statistics regarding SCD prevalence, morbidity, and mortality remain scarce. In developed countries with a lower number of sickle cell patients, cutting-edge technologies have led to the development of new treatments. However, in developing settings where sickle cell disease (SCD) is more prevalent, medical management, rather than a cure, still relies on the use of hydroxyurea, blood transfusions, and analgesics. This is a disease that affects red blood cells, consequently affecting most organs in diverse manners. We discuss its etiology and the advent of new technologies, but the aim of this study is to understand the various types of nutrition-related studies involving individuals suffering from SCD, particularly in Africa. The interplay of the environment, food, gut microbiota, along with their respective genomes collectively known as the gut microbiome, and host metabolism is responsible for mediating host metabolic phenotypes and modulating gut microbiota. In addition, it serves the purpose of providing essential nutrients. Moreover, it engages in direct interactions with host homeostasis and the immune system, as well as indirect interactions via metabolites. Nutrition interventions and nutritional care are mechanisms for addressing increased nutrient expenditures and are important aspects of supportive management for patients with SCD. Underprivileged areas in Sub-Saharan Africa should be accompanied by efforts to define and promote of the nutritional aspects of SCD. Their importance is key to maintaining well-being and quality of life, especially because new technologies and products remain limited, while the use of native medicinal plant resources is acknowledged. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:48:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-340964e09bc74b529f69af6a0ec2112b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:48:33Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-340964e09bc74b529f69af6a0ec2112b2024-01-29T14:10:00ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432024-01-0116225810.3390/nu16020258Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional InterventionsVictoria Bell0Theodoros Varzakas1Theodora Psaltopoulou2Tito Fernandes3Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, PortugalDepartment of Food Science and Technology, University of the Peloponnese, 24100 Kalamata, GreeceMedical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, GreeceCIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, PortugalSickle cell disease (SCD), a distinctive and often overlooked illness in the 21st century, is a congenital blood disorder characterized by considerable phenotypic diversity. It comprises a group of disorders, with sickle cell anemia (SCA) being the most prevalent and serious genotype. Although there have been some systematic reviews of global data, worldwide statistics regarding SCD prevalence, morbidity, and mortality remain scarce. In developed countries with a lower number of sickle cell patients, cutting-edge technologies have led to the development of new treatments. However, in developing settings where sickle cell disease (SCD) is more prevalent, medical management, rather than a cure, still relies on the use of hydroxyurea, blood transfusions, and analgesics. This is a disease that affects red blood cells, consequently affecting most organs in diverse manners. We discuss its etiology and the advent of new technologies, but the aim of this study is to understand the various types of nutrition-related studies involving individuals suffering from SCD, particularly in Africa. The interplay of the environment, food, gut microbiota, along with their respective genomes collectively known as the gut microbiome, and host metabolism is responsible for mediating host metabolic phenotypes and modulating gut microbiota. In addition, it serves the purpose of providing essential nutrients. Moreover, it engages in direct interactions with host homeostasis and the immune system, as well as indirect interactions via metabolites. Nutrition interventions and nutritional care are mechanisms for addressing increased nutrient expenditures and are important aspects of supportive management for patients with SCD. Underprivileged areas in Sub-Saharan Africa should be accompanied by efforts to define and promote of the nutritional aspects of SCD. Their importance is key to maintaining well-being and quality of life, especially because new technologies and products remain limited, while the use of native medicinal plant resources is acknowledged.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/2/258sickle cellhemoglobinanemiamicrobiotanutritionvaso-occlusive crisis |
| spellingShingle | Victoria Bell Theodoros Varzakas Theodora Psaltopoulou Tito Fernandes Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions Nutrients sickle cell hemoglobin anemia microbiota nutrition vaso-occlusive crisis |
| title | Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions |
| title_full | Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions |
| title_fullStr | Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions |
| title_short | Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions |
| title_sort | sickle cell disease update new treatments and challenging nutritional interventions |
| topic | sickle cell hemoglobin anemia microbiota nutrition vaso-occlusive crisis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/2/258 |
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