# Osteoarticular Complications of Sickle Cell Disease in Bukavu: A Retrospective Multicenter Cross‐Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study examines osteoarticular complications in sickle cell disease patients in Bukavu, highlighting their frequency and treatment outcomes.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence and management of osteoarticular complications specific to sickle cell disease in Bukavu.

## Key findings

- Septic arthritis was the most common complication, affecting 32.26% of patients.
- The knee joint was most frequently affected, with 38.71% of cases.
- Complete healing without residual effects was achieved in 70.96% of patients.

## Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of osteoarticular complications in patients with sickle cell disease in Bukavu.

We conducted a multicenter cross‐sectional study over 5 years, focusing on 31 patients with sickle cell disease who were admitted for osteoarticular complications in Bukavu. Data were collected from medical records and analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Science 26 (IBM, SPSS 26).

We recorded 31 (6.07%) sickle cell patients with osteoarticular complications, with a mean age of 10.5 ± 5.6 years (extremes: 2–30 years). Pain, fever, and functional impotence were the most frequent reasons for consultation with 9 (29.03%) patients. Septic arthritis was the most common complication in 10 (32.26%), followed by osteonecrosis of the femoral head in 8 (25.81%), chronic osteomyelitis in 7 (22.58%) cases, and acute osteomyelitis in 4 (12.70%) patients. The femur was the most affected bone. Articular complications predominantly impacted larger joints, with the knee joint experiencing the highest rate of damage, occurring in 38.71% of cases. Treatment, including medical and surgical methods, was provided in 16 cases (51.6%). Complete healing without residual effects was achieved in 22 patients (70.96%).

The osteoarticular complications of sickle cell disease are frequent in the city of Bukavu, and regular monitoring and early consultation would enable early diagnosis and management.