Does sickle cell disease cause jaundice?

Sickle-shaped red blood cells may be removed from the bloodstream sooner than usual. Their breakdown produces bilirubin, a yellow substance processed by the liver. When bilirubin rises, the whites of the eyes or skin can look yellow. The colour may become more noticeable during a sickle cell pain episode, infection, dehydration, or another period of increased red blood cell breakdown.

Jaundice can have other causes, including liver or gallbladder problems, so its appearance does not identify one diagnosis by itself. A clinician may ask when it began, examine your eyes and skin, and arrange blood tests to assess blood-cell breakdown and liver function.

Follow your sickle cell care plan, drink fluids as advised, and take prescribed medicines as directed. Note changes in eye colour, urine, stool, pain, fever, tiredness, or breathing. Avoid starting herbal products or non-prescription medicines without checking that they are suitable for you. Arrange medical advice if jaundice is new, worsening, or occurring with symptoms that are unusual for your usual pattern.

Seek urgent medical help for jaundice with fever, severe pain, marked weakness, confusion, repeated vomiting, difficulty breathing, chest pain, or inability to drink. Contact your sickle cell team promptly if yellowing is increasing or comes with very dark urine, unusually pale stools, or a sudden change in energy. These features can signal a complication needing assessment.

Ask what may be causing the jaundice, which tests are needed, how it relates to your sickle cell pattern, and which changes should prompt urgent help. Ask whether your current medicines, hydration plan, or follow-up schedule should change.