Sickle cell trait is not associated with chronic kidney disease in adult Congolese patients: a clinic-based, cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the determinants of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with special emphasis on sickle cell trait (SCT). METHODS: Three hundred and fifty-nine patients (171 men and 188 women), aged 18 years or older, with reduced kidney function (eGFR < 90 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) and seen at secondary and tertiary healthcare in Kinshasa were consecutively recruited in this cross-sectional study. Serum creatinine and haemoglobin electrophoresis were performed in each patient. CKD was defined as < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess determinants of CKD with a special emphasis on SCT. A p-value < 0.05 defined the level of statistical significance. RESULTS: SCT was present in 19% of the study population; its frequency was 21 and 18% (p > 0.05) in patients with and without CKD, respectively. In multivariate analysis, sickle cell trait was not significantly (OR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.559–1.839; p = 0.235) associated with CKD; the main determinants were dipstick proteinuria (OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.094–3.168; p = 0.02), the metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.033–2.965; p = 0.03), haemoblobin ≥ 12 g/dl (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.210–0.625; p = 0.001), and personal history of hypertension (OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.202–3.892; p = 0.01) and of diabetes mellitus (OR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.150–4.454; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: SCT was not an independent determinant of CKD in the present case series. Traditional risk factors emerged as the main determinants of CKD.