Table 1.

WBC count and its relation to sample characteristics in SCD patients

Characteristics	Levels	Overall N=290		Low <4 15 (5.2%)		Normal 4–11 159 (54.8%)		P-value
		n	%	n	%	n	%
Gender	Female	131	45.2	7	5.3	81	61.8	0.073
	Male	159	54.8	8	5.0	78	49.1
Age, years	<25	99	35.1	5	5.1	57	57.6	0.397
	25–36	123	43.6	6	4.9	66	53.7
	>36	60	21.3	2	3.3	32	53.3
Fever	No	133	46.7	6	4.5	78	58.6	0.573
	Yes	152	53.3	9	5.9	80	52.6
Cough	No	152	52.4	9	5.9	91	59.9	0.105
	Yes	138	47.6	6	4.3	68	49.3
Shortness of breath	No	152	52.4	6	3.9	95	62.5	0.022*
	Yes	138	47.6	9	6.5	64	46.4
Wheezing	No	232	82.6	15	6.5	126	54.3	0.186
	Yes	49	17.4	0	0.0	28	57.1
Tiredness	No	84	29.1	2	2.4	56	66.7	0.029*
	Yes	205	70.9	13	6.3	103	50.2
Swelling in hands/feet	No	200	69.9	7	3.5	119	59.5	0.020*
	Yes	86	30.1	8	9.3	38	44.2
Redness	No	253	87.5	12	4.7	140	55.3	0.661
	Yes	36	12.5	3	8.3	19	52.8
Itching	No	208	72.7	12	5.8	118	56.7	0.292
	Yes	78	27.3	3	3.8	38	48.7
Blood transfusion	No	196	67.6	10	5.1	104	53.1	0.651
	Yes	94	32.4	5	5.3	55	58.5
Back pain	No	104	35.9	7	6.7	68	65.4	0.007*
	Yes	186	64.1	8	4.3	91	48.9
Leg pain	No	72	24.8	3	4.2	32	44.4	0.075
	Yes	218	75.2	12	5.5	127	58.3
Arm pain	No	180	62.1	9	5.0	98	54.4	0.962
	Yes	110	37.9	6	5.5	61	55.5
Chest pain	No	176	60.7	7	4.0	101	57.4	0.372
	Yes	114	39.3	8	7.0	58	50.9
Frequent ED visits	No	199	76.8	11	5.5	110	55.3	0.626
	Yes	60	23.2	2	3.3	31	51.7

Note:

^*Significant at α=0.05.

Abbreviations: WBC, white blood cell; SCD, sickle cell disease; ED, emergency department.