Sickle cell trait at high altitude

Splenic syndrome in patients at high altitude with unrecognized sickle cell trait: splenectomy is often unnecessary.

BACKGROUND The health risks associated with sickle cell trait are minimal in this sizable sector of the world's population, and many of these patients have no information about their sickle cell status. Splenic syndrome at high altitude is well known to be associated with sickle cell trait, and unless this complication is kept in mind these patients may be subjected to unnecessary surgery when ...

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...

The sickle-cell and altitude.

High altitude seemed to be responsible for seven recent cases of sickling crisis. People with sickle-cell trait are at risk if they fly in unpressurized aircraft, which are used for many local air services. Those with sickle-cell haemoglobin C disease should avoid air travel even in pressurized aircraft. Possibly as a result of "autosplenectomy," patients with sickle-cell anaemia seem to be abl...

Sickle cell trait and frostbite.

Non-altitude-related splenic infarction in a patient with sickle cell trait.

Splenic infarction is a well-documented complication of sickle cell anemia, sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease, and sickle cell-P-thalassemia disease. Many of these cases have been associated with exposure to high altitudes [l]. There have also been reported cases of highaltitude-related splenic infarction in persons with sickle cell trait (hemoglobin AS), usually considered to be a benign hemogl...