Inclusion Criteria - Stratum A: Sickle cell patients with diastolic dysfunction
- 18 to 21 years of age
- Black
- Diagnosis of SCD of HbSS and HbSβ0thalassemia genotypes
- Three or more abnormal diastolic parameters (based on guidelines by American Society of echocardiography)
Inclusion Criteria - Stratum B: Sickle cell patients without diastolic dysfunction
- 18 to 21 years of age
- Black
- Diagnosis of SCD of HbSS and HbSβ0thalassemia genotypes
- Two or less abnormal diastolic parameters
Inclusion Criteria - Stratum C: Healthy controls
- 18 to 21 years of age
- Black
- Two or less abnormal diastolic parameters
Exclusion Criteria - Stratum A:
- Recent hospitalization for vaso-occlusive pain crisis or acute chest syndrome in last 4 weeks
- Blood transfusion in the last 3 months
- Individuals with signs, symptoms or EKG findings of acute myocardial ischemia, infarction or unstable angina
- Individuals with history of VT/VF or SVT
- Previous cardiac surgery
- Known congenital heart disease (other than patent ductus arteriosus or Atrial septal defect)
- Stenotic valvular disease or left main coronary artery stenosis
- History of myo/pericarditis
- Left ventricle systolic dysfunction
- Cardiovascular instability/uncontrolled hypertension (h/o hypertensive urgency or emergency)
- History of sinus node dysfunction or high grade AV nodal block
- History of aborted sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest
- Current seizure disorder on AED
- Pregnant/Breast-feeding
- Any medical or social reason, which, in the opinion of the principal investigators would make the participation of the subject ill-advised.
Exclusion Criteria - Stratum B:
- Diagnosed with three or more abnormal diastolic parameters (based on guidelines by American Society of echocardiography)
- Recent hospitalization for vaso-occlusive pain crisis or acute chest syndrome in last 4 weeks
- Blood transfusion in the last 3 months
- Individuals with signs, symptoms or EKG findings of acute myocardial ischemia, infarction or unstable angina
- Individuals with history of VT/VF or SVT
- Previous cardiac surgery
- Known congenital heart disease (other than patent ductus arteriosus or Atrial septal defect)
- Stenotic valvular disease or left main coronary artery stenosis
- History of myo/pericarditis
- Left ventricle systolic dysfunction
- Cardiovascular instability/uncontrolled hypertension (h/o hypertensive urgency or emergency)
- History of sinus node dysfunction or high-grade AV nodal block
- History of aborted sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest
- Current seizure disorder on AED
- Pregnant/Breast-feeding
- Any medical or social reason, which, in the opinion of the principal investigators would make the participation of the subject ill-advised.
Exclusion Criteria - Stratum C:
- All genotypes of SCD
- Diagnosed with three or more abnormal diastolic parameters (based on guidelines by American Society of echocardiography)
- Anemia of grade 2 or worse (per CTCAE v5.0) at study visit 1
- Individuals with signs, symptoms or EKG findings of acute myocardial ischemia, infarction or unstable angina
- Individuals with history of VT/VF or SVT
- Previous cardiac surgery
- Known congenital heart disease (other than patent ductus arteriosus or Atrial septal defect)
- Stenotic valvular disease or left main coronary artery stenosis
- History of myo/pericarditis
- Left ventricle systolic dysfunction
- Cardiovascular instability/uncontrolled hypertension (h/o hypertensive urgency or emergency)
- History of sinus node dysfunction or high-grade AV nodal block
- History of aborted sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest
- Current seizure disorder on AED
- Pregnant/Breast- feeding
- Any medical or social reason, which, in the opinion of the principal investigators would make the participation of the subject ill-advised.