Recently, there has been a notable piece of news covering the findings of a significant study. This piece’s author – Jonathan Alicea – represents a new investigation that revealed that leg length discrepancy is predominant in early adolescence of females and late adolescence of males with sickle cell anemia. The mentioned discrepancy, which is ascribed to the shortening of legs, was noticeable of mild to moderate severeness. Despite the fact that sickle cell anemia is known to influence a body’s linear proportion, which can include leg shortening and a number of other abnormities, the healthcare dimension has not provided a sufficient amount of data evaluating the various kinds and severities of the described discrepancy among children with this disease.
Eneh Ihuarula – a conductor of the study – assessed the predominance of leg length discrepancy among children, as well as compared the traits of this discrepancy among people with pediatric sickle cell to the ones without it. This study was of a cross-sectional comparative character and involved children from a sickle cell disease clinic. “Ihuarula found that 81.4% of sickle cell patients presented with mild real leg length discrepancy, measured from ASIS-MM [anterior superior iliac spine to the distal tip of the medial malleolus]” (Alicea, 2020, para. 9). Then, about 70% of the control group demonstrated an identical extent of severeness.
The research provided a conclusion that leg length discrepancies of ≥1 cm can lead to functional changes in hips, pelvis, and spine. It was suggested to undertake regular screening for these discrepancies among children in condition. To summarize, this piece of news sheds light on a significant study, which may serve as a foundation for plenty of practical implementations and theoretical investigations.
Reference
Alicea, J. (2020). Sickle cell anemia associated with leg length discrepancies among adolescents. HCP Live. Web.