Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients are immunocompromised with multiple
comorbidities and a hypercoagulation state. On the other hand COVID-19
is associated with cytokine storm and hypercoagulability. To find the
susceptibility and the clinical course of COVID-19 in SCD patients we
surveyed related published papers from USA, Europe, Middle East, few
African patients and international SCD registry. The COVID-19
presentation was mild in children and moderate in many SCD adults. To
explain these findings, possible benefits of high HbF level, and
hydroxyurea therapy could be considered. The obtained results should be
interpreted considering low cases from sub-Saharan people, younger age
of SCD patients compared to general population, a bias toward registry
of more severe form of the disease, the influence of preexisting
comorbidities with multisystem organ damage in exacerbation of the
COVID-19 and the fatality rate in SCD patients and the role of health
socio-economic determinants.