Acute Chest Syndrome and Sickle Cell Disease

Acute chest syndrome is a clinical syndrome found in sickle cell patients that may lead to death.

Causes

ACS can be triggered by many factors. Some of the most common are:

• Blockage of the tiny blood vessels in the lungs by blood clots, sickled red blood cells.
• Failure to breathe air deep into all parts of the lungs
• Infection

Symptoms

• Severe chest pain ++++
• Fever ++++
• Shortness of breath +++
• Bone pain +++

Signs

• Tachypnea
• Rhonchi +++
• Hypoxia
• Elevated temperature

Treatment

Several kinds of treatment. These measures are designed to address all of the potential causes of ACS and include:

• Pain medication
• Supplemental inhaled oxygen to get more oxygen to the tissues
• Incentive spirometry to help with deep breathing
• Surgery for neurological events, such as strokes
• Surgery for eye problems
• Partial exchange transfusion for acute chest syndrome
• Drug rehabilitation and counseling for the psychosocial complications
• Surgery for leg ulcers