What body system does sickle cell anemia affect?

Question

What body system does sickle cell anemia affect?

Answer 1

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disease that affect the blood.

Because it affects the blood it can affect any part of the body, any system of the body.

Red blood cell carry the oxygen to all parts of the body

and

sickle cell is an irregular shape red blood cell.

When I have a sickle cell (episode) or commonly know as sickle cell crises. (I am a 40 year old man with sickle cell (SS) sickle cell anemia it is consider the worst form of sickle cell).

It usually affects my joints because in the joint area the blood flow can be slowed down due to constriction (bending of knees arms etc.)

add to that the cells are irregular shape and don't travel through the arteries like normal red blood cells; then lack of oxygen = pain in my joints.

Picture having a straw and a donut shape( red blood cell) would travel through the straw with no problem.

Now picture that same straw with a sickle shape, cresent moon shape or just a elongated shape

The cells will not travel through it so easy it may even cause a slight blockage

that blockage results in lack of oxygen, which results in pain.

Also due to sickle cell dying quicker then normal red blood cells and or sickle cells not carring as much oxygen in the first place as normal red blood cells

lack of oxygen to where every the blood was going and that location lack of oxygen cause that are to suffers, which will result in pain.

Example

Lack of oxygen to the chest may result in

Acute Chest Syndrome = Lungs and/or heart not getting enough oxygen

which is very serious because it may cause death.

A high % of people with sickle cell die from that.

Lack of oxygen to the brain may cause stroke,

lack of oxygen may cause cell, tissue, or even organ damage.

It depends on where the blood was traveling to!

Blood travels all over the body

and

sickle cell is an irregular red blood cell.

Lack of oxygen to whatever area results in sickle cell crises (pain)

Pain is the body way of telling the brain something is wrong.

Sickle cell anemia

anemia = lack of oxygen

cause fatigue, weakness and of course pain.

Answer 2

The circulatory system, and any organ that is heavily vascular such as liver, kidney's, heart, brain, lungs,and the joints. Sickle cell blood cells are not round in shape, bur rather sickle shaped. The hooked ends of the blood vessels get caught up in the blood vessels and organs and cause problems and pain. They get caught up in the joints and cause a lot of pain.

Answer 3

It affects many systems dealing with blood circulation, as sickle cell is a disease of abnormally shaped red blood cells. I'd say mostly the circulatory and cardiovascular systems, but also the endocrine and immune system.

Answer 4

circulatory system?