The role of immature granulocyte percentage in predicting acute chest syndrome and the severity of the vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease

Karahan,Feryal | Ünal,Selma | Bozlu, Gülçin

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inflammatory disease that can result in both chronic and acute inflammation. Immature granulocytes (IG) are not-yet-mature white blood cells that can be easily detected in complete blood count (CBC) tests. In recent studies it has been suggested that IG may play a role in determining the prognosis of inflammatory diseases. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of IG percentage on predicting acute chest syndrome (ACS) and the severity of vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) in patients with SCD. Methods: The study cohort consisted of 49 SCD patients admitted to the emergency department for VOC. If symptoms did not regress despite appropriate treatment including hydration and analgesia, they were hospitalized. Patients whose symptoms regressed...