SCD is an inherited blood disorder. Symptoms include anemia, infections, organ damage, and intense episodes of pain, which are called "sickle cell crises." The Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centers (CSCC) is a network of 10 centers that conduct research to improve health care and treatment options for people with SCD. This study, the Collaborative Data Project (C-Data), will establish a comprehensive database of children and adults receiving medical care at participating CSCC research centers who are potentially eligible for inclusion in SCD clinical trials. The main purposes of this study are the following: 1) to gather medical information about a large number of people with SCD over a long period of time; 2) to identify potential participants for future SCD clinical trials; 3) to collect information about how SCD affects quality of life; and 4) to evaluate the relationship between SCD patients' characteristics and medical events.
In this study, research staff will review participants' medical records twice a year for at least 5 years. Information will be collected regarding participants' medical history, physical exams, blood tests, and demographics. Once a year, participants will take part in a short interview about their health and lifestyle. Participants will also complete quality-of-life and patient satisfaction questionnaires during the first year of the study and may complete additional questionnaires in the future. During an interview, participants will be asked general questions about their experience with SCD and more specific questions on headaches and any possible relation they may have to SCD pain. Participants may also be asked to provide a blood sample at some point during the study. CSCC researchers will analyze the information in the database and may contact participants in the future to see if they are interested in enrolling in SCD clinical trials.
