Role of phlebotomy in the management of hemoglobin SC disease: case report and review of the literature

Marked variability is a keynote in the disease course of patients with hemoglobin SC (Hb SC) and hemoglobin S/beta(+)-thalassemia (Hb S/beta(+)-thal), with some patients having a frequency of complications and painful episodes similar to patients with homozygous sickle cell (Hb SS) disease. One possible explanation is that the higher hematocrit in these syndromes may contribute to an increase in blood viscosity, leading to vaso-occlusive pain episodes as well as an increased incidence of thromboembolic complications and retinopathy. We present a patient with Hb SC disease with an excellent baseline functional status who developed splenic infarction at a high altitude. Following splenectomy, the patient developed a sustained increase in hematocrit, an increase in the frequency of painful episodes, as well as new-onset dizziness and malaise. We initiated a therapeutic phlebotomy program in order to lower the hematocrit to pre-splenectomy values, as well as to induce iron deficiency. Repeated phlebotomy resulted in a dramatic decrease in symptoms. Our patient no longer requires narcotic analgesics for pain, has resolution of constitutional symptoms, and has not required further hospitalizations for vaso-occlusive pain crises. The correlation between symptoms and hematocrit levels supports the importance of blood viscosity in contributing to this patient's symptoms. A trial of phlebotomy to reduce viscosity in patients with higher hematocrit values should be considered as an intervention for symptomatic patients with sickle cell disease.