Premium
Splenic function in persons with sickle cell trait at moderately high altitude
Author(s) -
Nuss Rachelle,
Feyerabend Angela J.,
Lear James L.,
Lane Peter A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.2830370214
Subject(s) - sickle cell trait , effects of high altitude on humans , splenic infarction , medicine , spleen , hemoglobin , trait , splenectomy , physiology , disease , computer science , anatomy , programming language
We investigated the possibility that persons with sickle cell trait who reside chronically at moderately high altitude might develop impaired splenic reticuloendothelial function. Seventeen healthy young black men with sickle trait who had lived at ⩾ 1,609 m for ⩾ 10 years participated in the study along with 25 matched control subjects with normal hemoglobin. Splenic function was assessed by radionuclide liver‐spleen scanning and by red cell pit counts. No evidence of impaired splenic function was found in the sickle trait group. The data suggest that long‐term residence at moderately high altitude does not place persons with sickle cell trait at risk for splenic dysfunction.