sickle cell anemia
Definition of sickle cell anemia
: a chronic inherited anemia that occurs primarily in individuals of African, Mediterranean, or southwest Asian ancestry who are homozygous for the gene controlling hemoglobin S and that is characterized especially by episodic blocking of small blood vessels by sickle cells —called also sickle cell disease
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1922
First Known Use of sickle cell anemia
1922
Medical Dictionary
sickle cell anemia
sickle cell disease
Medical Definition of sickle cell anemia
: a chronic anemia that occurs in individuals (as those of African or Mediterranean descent) who are homozygous for the gene controlling hemoglobin S and that is characterized by destruction of red blood cells and by episodic blocking of blood vessels by the adherence of sickle cells to the vascular endothelium which causes the serious complications of the disease (as organ failure)
Illustration of sickle cell anemia
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