Psychosocial and affective comorbidities in sickle cell disease

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2019-07, Vol.705, p.1-6
• Main Authors: Pecker, Lydia H., Darbari, Deepika S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anemia, Sickle Cell - epidemiology; Anxiety; Cognitive Dysfunction - epidemiology; Comorbidity; Depression; Humans; Mood Disorders - epidemiology; Pain - epidemiology; Sickle cell disease; Substance use disorder
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.04.011

•Psychosocial and affective comorbidities are common and can impact disease outcomes in sickle cell disease (SCD).•Emerging evidence suggest that neurbiological mechanisms may underlie these comorbidities.•Addressing psychosocial and affective comorbidities should be an integral part of management of SCD. Psychosocial and affective comorbidities are common in sickle cell disease (SCD) and can strongly influence disease outcomes, especially those related to pain such as frequency and intensity of pain, use of emergency- and hospital-based care and opioid use. Depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and substance use challenges are among the common comorbidities that inform the patient experience of SCD. Underlying neurocognitive changes may also contribute to the expression of affective disorders in people with SCD. The neurobiological basis of these comorbidities in SCD is being investigated. In this mini-review, we discuss psychosocial and affective disorders that can coexist in children and adults with SCD and highlight how these common psychological pathologies may interact with complications associated with SCD. Patients with SCD should be screened for these comorbidities using standardized screening tools and managed appropriately to improve outcomes.