Acute hepatic encephalopathy and multiorgan failure in sickle cell
disease and COVID-19
Abstract
COVID-19 disease causes primarily pulmonary manifestations, with myriad
other clinical manifestations especially in high-risk conditions,
including sickle cell disease (SCD). We present a 19-year-old with SCD
on deferasirox with COVID-19 infection involving pain and acute chest
syndrome, four weeks later developing hyperammonemia and
hyperinflammatory multiorgan failure. Successful treatment included
hemodialysis, red cell exchange transfusion, and therapeutic plasma
exchange. Though SCD-related multiorgan failure and deferasirox-related
hyperammonemia are reported, this case suggests multifactorial etiology
including COVID-19-related hyperinflammation. Awareness of potential
hepatic and systemic complications, and consideration for exchange
transfusion and therapeutic plasma exchange, may reduce severity of
COVID-19 sequelae in SCD.