The baseline characteristics of the 73 SCA patients compared with those of 81 non-SCA controls in this study are presented in Table 1. Both the SCA patients and non-SCA controls were comparable in mean age and gender distribution (P > 0.05). Of the 73 SCA patients enrolled, 25 (34.2%) were clinically unsteady with a significantly lower mean age (14 ± 0.7 years) compared to those at steady state of the disease (18.5±0.9 years; P = 0.002). Significant (P < 0.05) disparity was also observed between SCA and non-SCA patients in the frequency of hospitalization and out-patient visits in the preceding 12 months, in BMI distribution and in all the hematological/biochemical parameters measured (Table 1)