Researchers ID key drivers of heart complications in sickle cell anemia

(Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center) Patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) develop heart complications and nearly a quarter die a sudden death. Now, researchers have linked malfunctioning molecular pathways to specific heart anomalies in SCA that result from progressive fibrosis and result in sudden death. Published online this week by PNAS, the study opens a path to earlier noninvasive diagnosis and development of new targeted therapies to help SCA patients live longer with better q...