Clinical Presentation
C.S. is an 18-year-old African American female that was admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) …show more content…
Hemoglobin S is characterized by a “sickle” shaped erythrocyte. These sickle shaped erythrocytes often result from decreased oxygen delivery to the body’s tissues. When oxygen is low in the body the sickle shaped erythrocytes clump together. Clumps of sickle shaped erythrocytes can clog small blood vessels as well as break into pieces and disrupt blood flow which can cause ischemic tissue to form.
Per Ignatavicius and Workman (2016), AKI can occur over a few days or a few hours. AKI is characterized by a decrease of blood flow to the kidneys, decreased urine output, and increase of waste build up in the body. Common signs and symptoms of AKI are electrolyte imbalances and swelling in the legs, feet, and ankles. Symptoms such as fatigue, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and chest pain/pressure are also common.
Patients with sickle cell anemia must be aware that AKI is a common complication due to the abrupt vaso-occlusion of the renal tubules which in turn causes AKI. Sickle cell anemia and AKI are linked due to the clogging characteristic of the sickle shaped