Sociodemographic And Clinical Determinants Of Folate Deficiency Among Sickle Cell Anemia Patients In Kano, North Western Nigeria

Context Folate deficiency is common among sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients and could be influenced by factors such as clinical and social conditions. Sociodemographic and clinical determinants of folate deficiency have not been previously investigated among SCA patients in this environment. Aims The aim was to determine the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with folate deficiency in SCA patients accessing care at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. Settings and design This was a cross-sectional study involving 110 SCA participants at steady state. Patients and methods Sociodemographic and clinical data of the participants were collated, while their folate status was determined using Roche Elecsys 2010. Statistical analysis Data were analyzed with SPSS version 21.0 and level of significance was set at P less than or equal to 0.05. Results The mean age of the participants was 14.9 +/- 7.1 years and the majority of them were men (58, 52.7%), students (96, 87.3%), and jaundiced (66, 60.0%). Age, sex, occupation of the participants, and mother's level of education were significantly associated with folate deficiency (P<0.05). Female gender [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for red blood cells 2.6 (1.2-5.7) and serum 2.8 (1.3-6.1)] and mothers with less than secondary education [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for red blood cells 5.3 (1.0-27.6) and serum 4.2 (1.0-18.1)] were independent predictors of folate deficiency. Conclusion Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics are important determinants of folate deficiency in SCA. We therefore recommend periodic assessment of folate status as part of the standard care to SCA patients to prevent complications of folate deficiency.