Sickle Cell Kidney Biorepository

Kidney disease is a major cause of illness and death in people with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. Despite these concerning facts, we do not (1) have an in-depth understanding of how kidney disease starts in sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait, (2) have detailed insights into why kidney disease is worse in people with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait, (3) have management options that are tailored to treating or preventing kidney disease in people with sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait. The SCeK Biorepository is a specialized, secure repository designed for the collection of blood and urine samples from people with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. These samples are connected to detailed medical records, with the sole purpose of allowing researchers to better understand how kidney disease starts and progresses in people with the sickle cell gene. By studying these stored samples (using new tests) together with health information, researchers can find better early warning signs of kidney injury and develop better ways to protect kidney health in people with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait.

Chronic kidney disease is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease, occurring at a much earlier age and with a far higher frequency as compared to the general population. Furthermore, sickle cell trait has emerged as an under-recognized major risk factor for chronic kidney disease. Despite the seriousness of these findings, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the pathophysiology of and risk factors for incident chronic kidney disease and chronic kidney disease progression in both sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. The UT Southwestern and Parkland Health Sickle Cell Kidney (SCeK) Biorepository aims to address these knowledge gaps by collecting well annotated, high quality dedicated bio-samples integrated with routine clinical data to facilitate improved prognostication, provide mechanistic insights, and form the basis for the investigation of novel therapeutic options.