PLoS ONE (Jan 2022)

Biomarkers of sickle cell nephropathy in Senegal.

  • El Hadji Malick Ndour,
  • Khuthala Mnika,
  • Fatou Guèye Tall,
  • Moussa Seck,
  • Indou Dème Ly,
  • Victoria Nembaware,
  • Gaston Kuzamunu Mazandu,
  • Hélène Ange Thérèse Sagna Bassène,
  • Rokhaya Dione,
  • Aliou Abdoulaye Ndongo,
  • Jean Pascal Demba Diop,
  • Nènè Oumou Kesso Barry,
  • Moustapha Djité,
  • Rokhaya Ndiaye Diallo,
  • Papa Madièye Guèye,
  • Saliou Diop,
  • Ibrahima Diagne,
  • Aynina Cissé,
  • Ambroise Wonkam,
  • Philomène Lopez Sall

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273745
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 11
p. e0273745

Abstract

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Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is caused by a single point variation in the β-globin gene (HBB): c.20A> T (p.Glu7Val), in homozygous state. SCA is characterized by sickling of red blood cells in small blood vessels which leads to a range of multiorgan complications, including kidney dysfunction. This case-control study aims at identifying sickle cell nephropathy biomarkers in a group of patients living with SCA from Senegal. A total of 163 patients living with SCA and 177 ethnic matched controls were investigated. Biological phenotyping included evaluation of glycemia, glucosuria, albuminuria, proteinuria, tubular proteinuria, serum creatinine, urine creatinine, urine specific gravity and glomerular filtration rate. Descriptive statistics of biomarkers were performed using the χ2 -test, with the significance level set at p<0.05. Patients living with SCA had a median age of 20 years (range 4 to 57) with a female sex frequency of 53.21%. The median age of the control participants was 29 years (range: 4-77) with a female sex frequency of 66.09%. The following proportions of abnormal biological indices were observed in SCA patients versus (vs.) controls, as follows: hyposthenuria: 35.3%vs.5.2% (p<0.001); glomerular hyperfiltration: 47.66%vs.19.75% (p<0.001), renal insufficiency: 5.47%vs.3.82% (p = 0.182); microalbuminuria: 42.38%vs.5.78% (p<0.001); proteinuria: 39.33%vs.4.62% (p<0.001); tubular proteinuria: 40.97%vs.4.73% (p<0.001) and microglucosuria: 22.5%vs.5.1% (p<0.001). This study shows a relatively high proportion of SCA nephropathy among patients living with SCA in Senegal. Microglucosuria, proteinuria, tubular proteinuria, microalbuminuria, hyposthenuria and glomerular hyperfiltration are the most prevalent biomarkers of nephropathy in this group of Senegalese patients with SCA.