Pregnancy-Related RBC Alloimmunization in Sickle Cell Trait Patients; A Single-Center Experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 154 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S17-S17
Author(s):  
Mohammad Barouqa ◽  
Carlos Castrodad-Rodriguez ◽  
Morayma Reyes Gil ◽  
Randin Nelson ◽  
James Szymanski ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder, which results from a point mutation in the β-globin gene. The production of mutant Hb S (V6E) leads to hemolytic anemia and numerous clinical complications. Patients homozygous for HbS gene (SS) typically rely on life-long transfusion therapy. Alloimmunization to foreign RBC antigens in multiply transfused patients is significantly more frequent in SS patients (observed in 7–47%) compared to patients with HbA (AA), and can pose a significant hurdle in finding compatible RBCs. However, the mechanism for enhanced alloimmunization in SS patients has not yet been elucidated. Patients heterozygous for HbS (SA) have a no distinct clinical phenotype and do not typically require transfusions. We investigated the rate of RBC antigen alloimmunization and specificity in SA patients. Aim The aim of this study was to determine and compare the rate and specificities of RBC antigen pregnancy-related alloimmunization in SA and AA patients. Methods In our retrospective study, we identified females who delivered a newborn between January 2014 to October 2019, for whom prenatal hemoglobin electrophoresis testing, and prenatal and perinatal antibody screening and identification was performed. R (V.3.6.2) statistical computing program was used for analysis. Results A total of 41735 subjects were identified: 40058 (AA) and 1677 (SA). African Americans were more prevalent in the SA compared to the AA group (55.8% vs 29.4%, P<0.01)and were more likely to have received ≥ 1 transfusion during pregnancy (4.5% vs 3.3%, P<0.01). A total number of 267 alloantibodies were detected in 246 patients (0.6% of the studied population) during pregnancy, 228 patients (0.6%) in the AA group and 18 patients (1.1%) in the SA group.229/246 (93%) of patients with antibodies did not receive transfusion during pregnancy, and thus antibodies were considered to represent pregnancy-related alloimmunization. In non-transfused subjects the SA group were more likely to have developed alloantibodies in pregnancy compared to the AA group [OR= 1.94, P=0.015]. The median age of patients with antibodies in the SA was older [33.5 vs 27 (p=0.008)] as compared to those in the AA group [29 vs 27 (p=0.002)]. The most common antibody identified was anti-E (SA 42% vs AA 28%), anti-Lea (SA 21% vs AA 13%) and anti-C (SA 5% vs AA 12%). Subjects with pre-existing alloantibodies had a 5.4x increased risk of forming a new allo-antibody. However only 0.1% of subjects had a history of prior allo-antibodies, with no significant difference identified between AA and SA. Conclusions SA patients were found to have an increased rate of pregnancy-related alloimmunization (OR 1.75, P=0.02) after adjusting for the effects of increasing age, RH type, ethnicity, number of previously existing antibodies and number of transfusions in pregnancy.

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 3791-3791
Author(s):  
Ageliki Gerovassili ◽  
Kypros H. Nicolaides ◽  
Swee Lay Thein ◽  
David Rees

Abstract Cell free (cf) DNA in maternal circulation is increasingly investigated in pregnancy. We aimed to determine if sickle cell trait women had quantitative differences of cfDNA with controls and if there was an ethnic difference between the cfDNA levels of Northern European and African/African-Caribbean populations. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis through quantification of fetal and total cfDNA was tested in 33 pregnant women at risk of carrying a fetus affected with sickle cell disease and 124 control pregnancies. Fetal cfDNA assays were based on two Y chromosome specific markers (SRY and DYS14) and total cfDNA was based on the β-globin gene on chromosome 11. Maternal age (MA), gestation age (GA), fetal sex, storage time prior to extraction, maternal weight and body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy were compared to the fetal and total cfDNA levels. No significant difference in the fetal or total cfDNA levels was found between any of the control pregnancies and the sickle cell trait mothers carrying HbAA, HbAS and HbSS fetuses. However, higher levels of total cfDNA, but lower fetal cfDNA levels were observed in the African/African-Caribbean population compared with the Nothern Europeans. A significant variation in cfDNA was found between ethnic groups, which should be taken under consideration in future studies measuring cfDNA.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 4767-4767
Author(s):  
Giovanna Graziadei ◽  
Alessia Marcon ◽  
Martina Soldarini ◽  
Ilaria Gandolfi ◽  
Luisa Ronzoni ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 4767 Background. Sickle-Cell Disease (SCD) is one of the most common severe monogenic inherited disorders worldwide, due to hemoglobin S (HbS), with reduced affinity for the oxygen. HbS polymerization, leading to erythrocyte rigidity, vaso-occlusion and hemolytic anemia, is central in the pathophysiology and crucial for the clinical outcome. The term SCD refers to Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) due to homozygosis for βS allele, HbS/β-thalassemia (T-SCD) due to compound of β-thal and βS allele, and HbSC disease, owing to the coinheritance of βS and βcalleles. SCD is a multiorgan disease characterized by recurrent acute events and progressive organ damage, worsening during the life. Aims. This is a retrospective monocentric study aimed to assess and compare the clinical complications among 59 adult SCD patients, followed at the Hereditary Anemia Centre of the Foundation IRCCS “Ca Granda” Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, in Milan, Italy. Methods. Mutation analysis of the b globin gene was established by direct DNA sequencing on the ABI Prism 310 genetic analyzer. Clinical and hematological features were evaluated by routine tests and physical examination, with special attention to the erythropoiesis stress parameters as LDH values and extramedullary erythropoietic (EE) masses. Results. Fifty-nine adult SCD patients, 16 SCA and 43 T-SCD, were evaluated. In T-SCD patients detected b-mutations were severe (b°) in 69.8%, and moderate or mild (b+-b++) in 30.2%. The mean age of SCA patients was 36±9 and 41±11 years for T-SCD patients. For both groups the mean follow-up was 20±6 years, while the mean age at the presentation in our Centre was 32±8 years in SCA patients and 31±10 years in T-SCD ones. Five out of 16 (31.2%) SCA patients and 16/43 (37.2%) T-SCD patients were male. HbF mean levels were 6.9±5.1% and 10.1±7.2%, respectively in SCA and T-SCD group; surprisingly Hb mean levels were lower in SCA (9.3±1.3 g/dl) than in T-SCD (9.9±1.4 g/dl) patients. Comparing SCA and T-SCD, there was statistically significant difference in splenic features: splenectomy was performed in 2/16 (12.5%) SCA patients vs 21/43 (48.8%) T-SCD patients (p-value < 0.01). Splenomegaly was absent in SCA, while was detected in 11/22 (50%) T-SCD (p-value < 0.0001); all SCA patients had functional asplenia, not observed in T-SCD patients; splenic infarctions were absent in SCA patients and were detected in 7/22 (31.8%) T-SCD patients, of whom 5 had splenomegaly and 2 had normal spleen size (pvalue <0.001). On the other side, there was not statistically significant difference in the prevalence of stroke, acute chest syndrome (ACS), bone pain crisis, sepsis, leg ulcers and priapism. However, we observed some clinical differences, even if not statistically significant. Cholecistectomy was performed in 4/16 (25%) SCA patients vs 17/43 (39.5%) T-SCD patients, and gallstones were detected respectively in 5/12 (41.7%) and in 14/26 (53.8%) of SCA and T-SCD patients. Thrombotic events were absent in SCA patients, compared to 4/43 (9.3%) T-SCD patients. Furthermore, we detected EE in 3/16 (18.6%) SCA and in 3/43 (7%) T-SCD, all carrying b° thal mutations. We underlie that Hb levels and LDH values were higher in SCA than in T-SCD patients (823±295 vs 689±209 U/L). About the treatment, 14/16 (87.5%) SCA and 31/43 (72%) T-SCD underwent to top-up transfusion; 5/43 (11.6%) T-SCD were regularly transfused. Seven out of 16 (43.8%) SCA and 18/43 (41.8%) T-SCD patients were treated with Hydroxycarbamide (HU). Criteria for transfusion therapy were: painful crisis not responsive to HU, major clinical complications, such as stroke or ACS, extramedullary erythropoietic masses associated with high LDH levels and low Hb values. Conclusions. These data suggest that SCA and T-SCD patients have similar clinical course. Splenomegaly is present only in T-SCD patients, probably due to the increased amount of extravascular hemolysis. Surprisingly, SCA patients showed EE and lower Hb levels with higher LDH values compared to T-SCD ones. This could be related to the prevalence of intravascular hemolysis, that can lead to erythropoietic stress in SCA, even if tissues are better oxygenated in these patients because of biochemical characteristic of HbS in terms of decreased oxygen affinity. These observations could be important to evaluate transfusion and HU treatment. Disclosures: Cappellini: Novartis: Research Funding.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Saxena ◽  
Pratibha Dhiman ◽  
Chhagan Bihari ◽  
Archana Rastogi

Sickle cell trait is considered as a benign condition as these individuals carry only one defective gene and typically have their life span similar to the normal population without any health problems related to sickle cell. Only under extreme conditions, red cells become sickled and can cause clinical complications including hematuria and splenic infarction. Although twofold increased risk of venous thrombosis has been described in African Americans, there is no data available from Indian population. We here report a case of sickle cell trait from India whose index presentation was thrombosis of unusual vascular territory.


Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 4920-4920
Author(s):  
Hyacinth Idu Hyacinth ◽  
Cara Carty ◽  
Gregory L. Burke ◽  
Rakhi P. Naik ◽  
Robert J. Adams ◽  
...  

Abstract Background African Americans experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease. It is possible that genetic modifiers associated with African ancestry may confer higher risk of CVD. The sickle cell mutation results from a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) involving the substitution of GTG (valine) for a GAG (glutamic acid) in the gene encoding beta globin. Heterozygosity for the mutation (rs334) results in sickle cell trait (SCT) which is prevalent among 8% of African Americans, while homozygosity produces sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell trait has been deemed clinically benign yet recent evidence shows that it is associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease, a 2 times increased risk for venous thromboembolism and a 4 times increased risk for pulmonary embolism. Further, there is evidence that individuals with SCT have higher serum levels of C-reactive protein, Fibrinogen 2.1 fragments and D-dimers. We hypothesized that African Americans with SCT have a higher risk for cardiovascular outcomes than those without SCT (homozygous wild-type hemoglobin). Methods Data were obtained from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), Jackson Heart Study (JHS) and Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). Incident myocardial infarction (MI) was defined as adjudicated non-fatal or fatal MI, coronary heart disease (CHD) was defined as a composite endpoint including adjudicated non-fatal MI, fatal CHD, or documented coronary revascularization procedure. Sickle cell trait was identified either by direct genotyping or imputation for rs334. Individuals who were homozygous for the sickle mutation or had a prior history of CHD events were excluded. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate a hazard ratio (HR) of incident MI or CHD comparing sickle cell trait carriers to non-carriers. Models were adjusted for age, sex and principal component of global ancestry. Analysis was performed separately in each cohort and the results were subsequently meta-analyzed using a fixed effect inverse variance weighted method. Results A total of 11,128 African American men and women were included in the pooled data base. The average age at baseline were 62.2 ± 10.1, 49.8 ± 11.8 and 61.4 ± 7.0 years for MESA, JHS and WHI respectively, with JHS participants significantly younger than the other two cohorts (p <0.001). Unlike the MESA and JHS cohorts that included both genders, the WHI cohort was exclusively female. Additionally, the percentage African ancestry was significantly higher among those with SCT compared to those without SCT (82 ± 12% vs. 78 ± 14% for MESA, 84 ± 6% vs. 82 ± 9% for JHS and 79 ± 12% vs. 76 ± 15% for WHI), further the percentage African ancestry was significantly lower among WHI subjects irrespective of carrier status, p <0.01. There was no significant difference between cohorts in the prevalence of diabetes or hypertension, mean blood pressure levels, or proportion of smokers (table 1). The HR for incident MI was 1.56 (0.66 – 3.68) in MESA, 1.04 (0.32 – 3.39) in JHS and 0.97 (0.68 – 1.39) in WHI, but was not statistically significant. Further, the HR for incident CHD was 2.73 (1.52 – 4.89) in MESA, 1.14 (0.46 – 2.89) in JHS and 0.97 (0.68 – 1.17) in WHI, although the HR only achieved statistical significance in MESA (p<0.001). Overall, sickle cell trait was not significantly associated with incident MI (1.04 [0.76 – 1.43]) or CHD (1.11 [0.85 – 1.43] figure 1). Limitation/Recommendations and Conclusion The overall result from this study did not demonstrate a significant association between SCT and CHD. This may reflect inadequate power due to the relatively small number of CHD events and differences in study design. This study suggests the need for a well powered study to test this hypothesis, the result of which could have significant impact on the approach to risk factor modification for African Americans. Figure 1 Figure 1. Figure 2 Figure 2. Disclosures Naik: NHLBI: Research Funding.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole D. Dueker ◽  
David Della-Morte ◽  
Tatjana Rundek ◽  
Ralph L. Sacco ◽  
Susan H. Blanton

<p class="Pa7">Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a common hematological disorder among individu­als of African descent in the United States; the disorder results in the production of abnormal hemoglobin. It is caused by homozygosity for a genetic mutation in HBB; rs334. While the presence of a single mutation (sickle cell trait, SCT) has long been considered a benign trait, recent research suggests that SCT is associated with renal dysfunction, including a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in African Americans. It is currently unknown whether similar associations are observed in Hispanics. Therefore, our study aimed to determine if SCT is associated with mean eGFR and CKD in a sample of 340 Dominican Hispanics from the Northern Manhattan Study. Using regression analyses, we tested rs334 for association with eGFR and CKD, adjusting for age and sex. eGFR was estimated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equa­tion and CKD was defined as eGFR &lt; 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Within our sample, there were 16 individuals with SCT (SCT carriers). We found that SCT carriers had a mean eGFR that was 12.12 mL/min/1.73m2 lower than non-carriers (P=.002). Additionally, SCT carriers had 2.72 times higher odds of CKD compared with non-carriers (P=.09). Taken together, these novel results show that Hispanics with SCT, as found among African Americans with SCT, may also be at increased risk for kidney disease.</p><p class="Pa7"><em>Ethn Dis. </em>2017; 27(1)<strong>:</strong>11-14; doi:10.18865/ed.27.1.11.</p><p class="Pa7"> </p>


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 4843-4843
Author(s):  
Marcus A. Carden ◽  
Jonathan Metts ◽  
John M. McCarty ◽  
Sarah Mitchell ◽  
Bradley Carthon ◽  
...  

Background: Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a rare, aggressive form of renal cell carcinoma almost exclusively (>90%) diagnosed in individuals with sickle cell trait (SCT), and 2/3 of those affected are male. Based on population-surveillance data, only 246 patients were diagnosed with RMC between 2005-2014 (Carden etal. J Sickle Cell Disease and Hemoglobinopathies, 2018) and many patients have metastatic disease at diagnosis (Msaeoul et al., Clin Genitourin Cancer, 2019). Median overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic RMC (mRMC) at diagnosis is less than 12 months and predictors of survival are largely unknown, although case reports suggest novel chemotherapeutic strategies are important (Carden et al., Ped Blood Cancer, 2017&2018). The role SCT plays in RMC pathobiology, however, is largely unknown, as many patients do not have a complete hemoglobin subtype profile completed at diagnosis. Studies evaluating sickle hemoglobin concentrations (%HbS) in relation to survival for patients with RMC are needed, as SCT is associated with renal dysfunction and researchers have hypothesized that HbS polymerization within red cells traversing the kidney disrupts blood perfusion, which leads to kidney injury and an increased possibility for cancer formation (Msaeoul et al, Clin Cancer Res, 2018). Patients with %HbS≤36%, such as patients with SCT and concomitant alpha-globin gene deletion(s) might be protected against HbS polymerization and renal concentrating defects (Gupta etal., J Clin Invest, 1991). We hypothesize that lower %HbS is associated with higher survival. In this preliminary multi-institutional study, we retrospectively reviewed available charts from patients diagnosed with mRMC and SCT to evaluate for an association between %HbS and OS. Methods: We found nine patients (3 adults, 6 children) who were diagnosed with mRMC and SCT at our various institutions between 2002-2017 who had survival data. Eight patients had %HbS levels by hemoglobin quantification at diagnosis. In a post-hoc analysis, patients were separated into two groups (%HbS>36% and %HbS≤36%), levels similar to that found in patients with alpha-globin gene deletions described by Gupta et al. Fit-curves were determined for OS vs. %HbS. Three-year OS was determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank method. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Clinical characteristics of patients are shown in Table 1. Average age (standard deviation) at diagnosis was 15.2 years (4.9) and most patients were male (87.5%). Six patients had %HbS >36% and 2 patients had %HbS ≤36%. Median OS was 17.8 months. Using fit-function testing, analysis of survival vs. %HbS yielded an exponential relationship (R2=0.69), suggesting higher survival when %HbS≤36% (p=0.05). OS of the two patients with %HbS≤36% was greater than those with %HbS>36%, though results were not statistically significant (p = 0.09). Conclusion: While there are limitations to this small, retrospective analysis, these data suggest that lower intracellular red cell %HbS concentrations could be protective in patients with mRMC and SCT. Chemotherapy and other treatment regimens may also play a role in survival and need to be studied. Further investigation is needed to determine the role SCT plays in RMC pathobiology and to determine if %HbS concentrations, as well as alpha-thalassemia deletion(s), may be protective in patients with RMC. Disclosures Carden: GBT: Honoraria; NIH: Research Funding.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-446
Author(s):  
Herbert T. Abelson

The implication by McGarry and Duncan that sickle cell trait carries an increased risk of death following anesthesia should be carefully weighed against their proffered evidence. In two of their five cases, a hematologic diagnosis was not established, but rather implied by postmortem findings. These two cases could therefore represent an additional, mixed, sickle hemoglobinopathy. In addition, postmortem sickling can hardly serve as an indicator of premortem pathophysiology. Since previous firm documentation of anesthetic deaths associated with sickle cell trait are not available, the following questions would seem to be pertinent: (1) what is the overall incidence of anesthetic deaths in the authors' institution and (2) over what period of time were these cases collected?


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel I Ogbuchi ◽  
Temidayo Abe ◽  
Kapil Bhatia ◽  
Leondus S McIver ◽  
Michelle Lee ◽  
...  

Introduction: Sickle cell trait (SCT) is an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is a well-established risk factor for progressive cardiovascular dysfunction. Sickle Cell trait has been noted to promote a persistent systemic pro-inflammatory state. This pro-inflammatory state could potentially increase the risk of systemic endothelial dysfunction when accompanied with other cardiotoxic conditions. We aim to investigate cardiovascular outcomes in patients with SCT and CKD, compared to SCT alone. Methods: Patients with CKD were identified in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database 2016 using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), and subsequently were divided into two groups, those with and without SCT. Both population sets were paired using 1:1 propensity score matching based on Age, Sex and co-morbidities to address potential confounding factors. Outcomes of interest were overall mortality, rates of stroke, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and cardiomyopathy. Results: Mean age of patients with CKD alone was 72.98 ± 13.2 years, while for CKD and SCT 56.68 ± 17.3 years. There was no significant difference between the two group in the rates of stroke (1.3% vs 1.0%; P= 0.125), and SCA (1.0% vs 1.1%; P= 0.841). Overall mortality (5.7% vs 2.2%; P<0.0001) and rates of cardiomyopathy (10.1% vs 2.9%; P<0.0001) were significantly lower in patients with CKD and SCT, compared to CKD alone. Multivariate logistic regression followed a similar trend, compared to those with CKD alone, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for overall mortality aOR; 0.625 (0.372-1.049) and cardiomyopathy aOR; 0.451 (0.293-0.696) were significantly lower in patients with CKD and SCT. Conclusion: Compared to patients with CKD alone, those with CKD and SCT have a lower risk for overall mortality and cardiomyopathy. Further studies are needed to replicate this finding and look at the possible protective role of SCT in patients with CKD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica S Jarmasz ◽  
Alexandrea Anderson ◽  
Margaret E Bock ◽  
Yan Jin ◽  
Peter A Cattini ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Pregnant women with obesity are at increased risk for peripartum depression. Maternal obesity is also associated with reduced human placental lactogen (hPL) levels, and decreased hPL transcripts were reported in women with clinical depression. In addition, hPL production may be rescued in women with obesity that were subsequently diagnosed with gestational diabetes and treated with insulin (INS). Objective: Study the effect of INS treatment in pregnancy on the risk for postpartum psychological distress (PPD) in women with and without obesity. Study Design: Using data housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (2002–2017), cohorts of women (ages 15+) with a single live birth with and without obesity were developed using weight (≥85 and &lt;65.6 kg, respectively) and an average (1.63 m) height. Pre-existing mood and anxiety disorders within 5 years preceding delivery as well as gestational hypertension were excluded. After randomly selecting 1 birth per mother, cohorts were stratified by INS treatment during the gestational period. The risk of PPD within 1 year of delivery was assessed by Poisson regression analysis. Models were adjusted for maternal age and area-level income at delivery. Results: The risk of PPD was 27% greater among women with obesity versus without (adjusted rate ratio (aRR)=1.27, 95% CI 1.16–1.4, p&lt;0.0001). However, women with obesity treated with INS did not have a significantly different risk of PPD compared to women without obesity whether treated with INS (aRR=0.99, 95%CI 0.48–2.02, p=0.974) or not (aRR=1.16, 95%CI 0.86–1.56, p=0.328). This suggests that the risk of PPD among women with obesity may be reduced by INS treatment; however, our ability to detect a significant difference may be limited by small cohort numbers (46 women with obesity received INS in pregnancy) or confounders for receiving INS in pregnancy. Direct comparison of INS treatment within weight groups faced the same limitations but trended toward a reduction in women with obesity who received INS (aRR=0.91, 95%CI 0.68–1.22, p=0.531). The positive association between INS treatment in pregnancy and decreased risk of PPD in women with obesity was lost when pre-existing mood and anxiety disorder was not excluded. Inclusion of pre-existing diabetes in the adjusted models did not improve model fit or contribute significantly to the differences in PPD rates. Conclusions: Maternal obesity increases the risk for PPD but this risk may be reduced by gestational INS treatment in the absence of a pre-existing mood and anxiety disorders. This correlates with the decrease and increase in hPL levels reported previously with maternal obesity without and with INS treatment (for diabetes) in pregnancy, respectively. Thus, hPL levels may serve as a possible indicator of PPD risk and a potential target for gestational INS treatment.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 908-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harland Austin ◽  
Nigel S. Key ◽  
Jane M. Benson ◽  
Cathy Lally ◽  
Nicole F. Dowling ◽  
...  

Abstract People with sickle cell disease have a chronically activated coagulation system and display hemostatic perturbations, but it is unknown whether they experience an increased risk of venous thromboembolism. We conducted a case–control study of venous thromboembolism that included 515 hospitalized black patients and 555 black controls obtained from medical clinics. All subjects were assayed for hemoglobin S and hemoglobin C genotypes. The prevalence of the S allele was 0.070 and 0.032 for case patients and controls, respectively (P < .001). The odds that a patient had sickle cell trait were approximately twice that of a control, indicating that the risk of venous thromboembolism is increased approximately 2-fold among blacks with sickle cell trait compared with those with the wild-type genotype (odds ratio = 1.8 with 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.9). The odds ratio for pulmonary embolism and sickle cell trait was higher, 3.9 (2.2-6.9). The prevalence of sickle cell disease was also increased among case patients compared with controls. We conclude that sickle cell trait is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism and that the proportion of venous thromboembolism among blacks attributable to the mutation is approximately 7%.


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