PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Michele Arigliani AU - Robert Kitenge AU - Luigi Castriotta AU - Pathy Ndjule AU - Vincenzo Barbato AU - Paola Cogo AU - Leon Tshilolo TI - Lung function in children with sickle cell disease from Central Africa AID - 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212720 DP - 2019 Jun 01 TA - Thorax PG - 604--606 VI - 74 IP - 6 4099 - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/74/6/604.short 4100 - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/74/6/604.full SO - Thorax2019 Jun 01; 74 AB - Lung function in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) living in sub-Saharan Africa is largely unknown. Anthropometry and spirometry were cross-sectionally evaluated in patients with SCA (HbSS) aged 6–18 years and in schoolchildren from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Global Lung Initiative 2012 spirometry reference values were used. A total of 112 patients and 377 controls were included. Twenty-six per cent of patients with SCA had spirometry findings suggestive of a restrictive pattern and 41% had a FEV1 z-score <5th percentile. Wasting, increasing age and female sex were independently associated with increased risk of restrictive spirometry pattern in patients with SCA. Longitudinal studies could clarify the prognostic meaning of these findings.