SPRINTS
Studying Exercise Safety in Sickle Cell Anemia
SPRINTS (1R01HL136480) is a study funded by
About Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) is a red blood cell disorder affecting millions worldwide and 100,000 or more in the United States. Red blood cells in people with SCA are sickle shaped instead of the usual round shape. So they can damage and get stuck in blood vessels as well as deprive vital organs of oxygen. Children and adults with SCA have anemia, debilitating pain episodes, stroke, heart and lung disease and other organ damage over time. Complications of SCA can have a significant impact on physical function.
SCA, Fitness and Exercise
Children and adults with SCA have low fitness levels and tire out easily from exercise and physical activity. There are many reasons for this, including longstanding anemia as well as heart and lung disease. However, chronic inflammation in SCA may also contribute to low fitness levels and inability to exercise. Doing exercise normally increases inflammation in the body. Whether or not exercise increases inflammation up to unsafe levels in SCA is not known.
Lurie Children's Hospital is the leading pediatric provider in the Chicago Region. The comprehensive sickle cell program at Lurie Children's represents one of the largest programs in the Midwest.
This study is approved by the Institutional Review Board at Lurie Children's Hospital IRB# 2017-881, "The Pro-Inflammatory Effects of Acute Exercise in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia", Principal Investigator: Robert Liem, MD, MS.