What are three common symptoms of sickle cell anemia?

• A. Excessive fatigue, increased marrow space, painful crises
• B. Increased marrow space, reduced trabeculation, swelling
• C. Excessive fatigue, increased marrow space, reduced trabeculations
• D. Increased infections, pain during episodes, excessive fatigue

Answer: (C)

The three common symptoms of sickle cell anemia include excessive fatigue, increased marrow space, and reduced trabeculations.

Excessive fatigue is often a primary symptom of sickle cell anemia due to chronic hemolytic anemia, where the sickled red blood cells have a shorter lifespan than normal red blood cells. This leads to a decreased number of oxygen-carrying cells in the blood, resulting in fatigue and weakness.

Increased marrow space occurs as the body attempts to compensate for the rapid breakdown of sickled red blood cells. The bone marrow expands to produce more red blood cells, which can lead to changes visible on imaging studies.

Reduced trabeculations, or the loss of spongy bone structure in the marrow, can also be a feature observed in sickle cell disease. This reflects alterations in the bone and marrow architecture associated with the disease process.

The other choices mix symptoms that do not fully align with the most recognized manifestations of sickle cell anemia or include less pertinent details. For instance, while increased infections can occur due to splenic dysfunction in sickle cell anemia, it is not part of the classic triad of symptoms. Pain during episodes is characteristic of the painful crises associated with sickle cell disease, but this specific