Unusual association of cirrhosis and sickle cell anemia revealed by hemolytic anemia: A case report

Abstract

Hepatobiliary complications of sickle cell disease are rare, cirrhosis remains very exceptional, especially in heterozygous forms of the disease. We report the case of a 19-year-old patient whose etiologic investigation of hemolytic anemia revealed heterozygous sickle cell disease complicated by hepatic cirrhosis. The diagnosis of cirrhosis was made due to the presence of signs of hepato-cellular insufficiency, portal hypertension syndrome and hepatic dysmorphia on imaging. The etiological assessment was negative. The liver biopsy was not performed due to the risk of bleeding. The interest of this observation is to evoke hepato-biliary complications (in particular cirrhosis) in patients with sickle cell anemia, in order to avoid a pejorative evolution burdened with serious complications.