Acute and chronic complications of sickle cell disease necessitate frequent interaction with the medical system.
These complications — which include pain, fever and acute chest syndrome — make managing the estimated 100,000 patients with sickle cell disease in the U.S. a challenge under the best of circumstances.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, sickle cell disease complications may confound diagnosis, and health care providers could face new challenges in meeting the needs of this patient population.