Sickle Cell Trait and Sudden Death

Exertional collapse and sudden death associated with sickle cell trait.

The most serious complication of sickle cell trait (SCT) is sudden death during exertion. SCT often remains unrecognized in the 2.5 million African Americans affected. Exertional collapse and sudden death associated with SCT is characterized by rhabdomyolysis, heat stroke, and cardiac arrhythmia. There is a 40-fold increased risk of sudden death in affected soldiers during military basic traini...

Sickle-cell trait as a risk factor for sudden death in physical training.

Case reports of sudden death during exertion have not established an association between the sickle-cell trait (hemoglobin AS) and exercise-related death. To test this association, all deaths occurring among 2 million enlisted recruits during basic training in the U.S. Armed Forces in 1977 to 1981 were classified from autopsy and clinical records as non-sudden deaths or as sudden deaths explain...

Sickle cell trait, exertion-related death and confounded estimates

Sickle cell trait (SCT) has historically been thought of as a benign condition. However, there has been increasing recognition that, in athletes, SCT is associated with an elevated risk for exertion-related death (ERD). With the hope to minimise future tragedies, Harmon et al sought to quantify the association of SCT and ERD. They looked at data compiled on nearly two million collegiate ‘athlet...

Sickle cell trait.

Sickle cell trait can pose a grave risk for some athletes. In the past few years, exertional sickling has killed nine athletes, including five college football players in training. Exercise-physiology research shows how and why sickle red cells can accumulate in the bloodstream during intense exercise bouts. Sickle cells can "logjam" blood vessels and lead to collapse from ischemic rhabdomyolys...

Sickle cell trait and frostbite.