About SCD

About Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders that affect hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the body. The condition affects more than 100,000 people in the United States and 20 million people worldwide. In the U.S., SCD is most common among Black Americans, occurring in one of every 365 births. People with Middle Eastern and South Asian ancestry are also susceptible to the disease and some 45 million people around the world carry a gene for the condition, which they can pass along to their children.

In SCD patients, DHA, an essential fatty acid can metabolize by interaction with HbSS hemoglobin (not normal hemoglobin) and this metabolism results in DHA deficiency. DHA deficiency causes red blood cells to become inflamed and destroyed when the membrane breaks. This error in metabolism may be corrected by taking high amounts of DHA.

Normally, red blood cells are disc-shaped and flexible enough to move easily through the blood vessels. If you have sickle cell disease, your red blood cells are crescent- or “sickle”-shaped. These cells do not bend or move easily and can block blood flow to the rest of your body. The blocked blood flow through the body can lead to serious problems, including stroke, eye problems, infections, and episodes of pain called pain crises.