Background: Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. As polymorphisms in human platelet antigens (HPA) exhibit a prothrombotic nature, we hypothesized that specific HPA polymorphisms could have a role in the pathogenesis of VOC in SCD. Aim of Study: This study investigated HPA-5 G1648A polymorphism among Egyptian SCD patients. Patients and Methods: This study included 100 SCD patients and 50 controls. Patients were divided into, VOC group (n=60), and steady-state group (n=40). Genotyping was done using PCR-based Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) technique. Results: The HPA-5 mutant genotypes were significantly associated with SCD compared to controls (p=0.003), while no significant difference was observed between VOC and steady-state groups (p=0.179). Regarding the frequency of VOC episodes, the HPA-5 homozygous mutant genotypes showed significant differences (p=0.003). Regarding VOC complications, the HPA-5b/5b genotype was significantly associated with acute chest syndrome only (p=0.021). Conclusion: The HPA-5 G1648A polymorphism is common among SCD patients. Although neither of them is a major determinant of vasculo-cclusion in SCD, they are significantly associated with VOC complications and may alter their outcome.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.