Sickle Cell Diseases: Meta-analysis of Correlates of Deficits in Executive Functions

Abstract

Individuals diagnosed with sickle cell diseases are susceptible to cognitive impairments. This study aimed to analyze the biological/organic and psychological/psychosocial correlates of executive functions deficits in individuals with sickle cell diseases. A systematic review with meta-analysis was carried out based on the search for articles in the SCOPUS, ScienceDirect and MedLine databases, in October 2021 and subsequently in July 2024. The analysis involved 19 studies covering 864 participants (mean age = 13.9; 53% female). Five criteria from the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool were used to assess the quality of the included articles. The results indicated consistent evidence that biological and psychological/psychosocial characteristics are associated with executive functions with significant effects of moderate size in this population, with an emphasis on cerebrovasculopathy and cerebral blood flow velocity, as well as social skills, quality of life, and socio-environmental stress, respectively. For future studies with carries of sickle cell diseases, early investigations in cognitive skills are proposed, along with the elaboration of interventional actions, in order to minimize deficits in global development.