Sickle Cell Trait

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Sickle Cell Trait

Effective in 2010, the NCAA Division I Legislative Council decided that all incoming student-athletes must be tested for sickle cell trait, show proof of a prior test or sign a waiver releasing an institution from liability if they decline to be tested.

Sickle cell trait is not a disease. It is the inheritance of one gene for normal hemoglobin (A) and one gene for sickle hemoglobin (S), giving the genotype AS. Sickle cell trait can change the shape of red blood cells during intense or extensive exertion/exercise, causing a blockage in blood vessels and rapid breakdown of muscles, including the heart.

People at high risk for having sickle cell trait are those whose ancestors come from Africa, South or Central America, Caribbean, Mediterranean countries, India, and Saudi Arabia. Sickle cell trait occurs in about 8 percent of the U.S. African-American population and rarely (between one in 2,000 to one in 10,000) in the Caucasian population. It is present in athletes at all levels, including high school, collegiate, Olympic and professional. Sickle cell trait is no barrier to outstanding athletic performance. Sickle cell trait is generally benign and consistent with a long, healthy life. Most athletes complete their careers without any complications. However, there are three constant concerns that exist for athletes with sickle cell trait: gross hematuria, splenic infarction, and exertional rhabdomyolysis, which can be fatal.

Starting in 1990, The California Newborn Screening Program (NBS) has been screening all newborns for sickle cell disease. To obtain the results of the screen, submit the form on the California Department of Health website at http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/nbs/Pages/NBSFAQTraitAthletes.aspx .

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