People with sickle cell trait face no risk of sudden death or acute pain crises, according to a major new analysis.
The study was commissioned by the American Society of Hematology (ASH), which published a new position statement rejecting suggestions that sickle cell trait (SCT) is associated with any serious illness.
Experts assessed nearly 1,500 pieces of research, which was whittled down to seven studies which met the criteria for inclusion in the analysis. Of these, only one study identified a death of a person with sickle cell trait, and this was found to involve a US soldier on active duty, who suffered from heat-related exertional rhabdomyolysis.
The researchers say the findings should prevent deaths among people with sickle cell trait being linked to the carrying of the sickle cell gene. Instead post-mortem examinations should look for rhabdomyolysis or other causes, the researcher report in the journal Blood. ASH’s new position statement on SCT says that sickle cell trait should not be listed as a cause of death.
Researcher Professor Michael DeBaun, of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Tennessee, said: “In the absence of two medical conditions that we are all at risk for, exertional rhabdomyolysis or crush injuries leading to rhabdomyolysis, individuals with sickle cell trait are not susceptible to sudden death. Even under these extreme environmental conditions, unexplained sudden death cannot be attributed to sickle cell trait.”
Prof DeBaun added: “In individuals with SCT, the likelihood of SCT alone or pain crises being the root cause of sudden death is medically impossible.”
ASH president Dr Belinda Avalos said: “SCT has long been misunderstood, fuelling widespread misinformation and medically inaccurate claims that it can lead to sudden death. This misconception has been especially prominent in cases of black men with SCT.
“In light of the pervasive, widely publicised, and harmful nature of this myth, the Society aims to further promote accurate information to protect and empower affected communities.”
Source:
Weeks LD, Wilson AM, Naik RP, Efebera YA, Murad MH, Mahajan A, McGann PT, Verhovsek M, Weyand AC, Zaidi AU, DeBaun MR, Donald C, Mitchell RA Jr. (2025) “Sickle Cell Trait Does Not Cause "Sickle Cell Crisis" Leading to Exertion-Related Death: A Systematic Review.” Blood, 30 January 2025, doi: 10.1182/blood.2024026899.
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