Mild hemorheological changes induced by a moderate endurance exercise in patients with sickle cell anemia

Edwige Balayssac-Siransy (1) , Philippe Connes (2) , Nalourgo Tuo (1) , Clotaire Danho (3) , Mor Diaw (4) , Ibrahima Sanogo (3) , Marie-Dominique Hardy-Dessources (2) , Abdoulaye Samb (4) , Samir K Ballas (5) , Pascal Bogui (1)

1 Laboratoire de Physiologie et d'Explorations Fonctionnelles
2 Pharmacogénétique et abords thérapeutiques des maladies héréditaires
3 Service d'Hématologie clinique
4 Laboratoire de Physiologie
5 Medicine

The levels and duration of physical activity that can be considered as completely safe in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) is unknown. The present study compared the hemorheological and hematological profile, cell density distribution and basic biochemistry between a group of 17 patients with SCA and 21 healthy subjects before and after a 20 min duration submaximal cycling exercise at the same absolute workload. Blood was sampled at rest and 3 min after the end of exercise for measurement of biological parameters. Exercise did not affect the hematocrit and blood viscosity in the two groups. Plasma viscosity was not different between the two groups at rest and similarly increased with exercise. The proportion of intermediary dense cells (with density between 1.11 and 1.12 g/ml) decreased with exercise in the SCA group resulting in an increase in the proportion of red blood cells with a density > 1.12 g/ml. No change was observed in the control group. The present study suggests that mild-moderate exercise is not very harmful for SCA patients. The hemorheological and hematological changes very mild, except for the formation of dense cells but no clinically significant signs of medical complication were present in any of the patients.

Mots clés: Medicine

Edwige Balayssac-Siransy, Philippe Connes, Nalourgo Tuo, Clotaire Danho, Mor Diaw, et al.. Mild hemorheological changes induced by a moderate endurance exercise in patients with sickle cell anemia. British Journal of Haematology, 2011, 154 (3), pp.398. ⟨10.1111/j.1365-2141.2011.08728.x⟩. ⟨hal-00640629⟩