Sickle cell considerations in athletes

Clin Sports Med. 2011 Jul;30(3):537-49. doi: 10.1016/j.csm.2011.03.004. Epub 2011 May 14.

Abstract

This article highlights the exertional-sickling collapse syndrome in athletes with sickle cell trait (SCT). It covers all aspects of this syndrome, including pathophysiology, new research on microcirculatory changes, clinical features, differential diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Also covered in this article are other clinical concerns for athletes with SCT, including lumbar myonecrosis, splenic infarction, hematuria, hyposthenuria, and venous thromboembolism. The final section offers practical points on athletes with sickling hemoglobinopathies more serious than SCT.

MeSH terms

  • Athletes*
  • Death, Sudden / etiology
  • Exercise / physiology
  • Hematuria
  • Hemoglobinopathies / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Lumbosacral Region
  • Military Personnel
  • Physical Exertion / physiology
  • Rhabdomyolysis
  • Sickle Cell Trait* / diagnosis
  • Sickle Cell Trait* / epidemiology
  • Sickle Cell Trait* / mortality
  • Sickle Cell Trait* / physiopathology
  • Splenic Infarction
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Venous Thromboembolism