Sickle Cell Defined

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS at CHICAGO
COMPREHENSIVE SICKLE CELL CENTER

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Sickle Cell Defined

What is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited life long illness that affect the hemoglobin found in red blood cells. Hemoglobin is the part of the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.

Red blood cells containing normal hemoglobin are soft, round and can squeeze through tiny blood vessels delivering needed oxygen to body tissues.

Red blood cells containing abnormal hemoglobin become stiff and curved in shape and are unable to pass through tiny blood vessels and deliver oxygen to body tissues. This can cause severe pain, damage to the body’s organs and even death.

Phone: 312-996-5680

Fax: 312-996-5984

E-mail: sickle@uic.edu

Who Is Affected?

· People of African , Mediterranean basin, Saudi Arabian, Latin American and Asian origin.

· 91,000 Americans of different ethnic backgrounds.

· One out of 500 African Americans have sickle cell disease.

· One out of 12 African Americans is a c arrier of the sickle
cell trait.