Work

When sickle cell trait is not just trait: risk of VTE

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The pathophysiology of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is complex. While perturbations in the coagulation system have generally been considered the primary driver of VTE risk, there is increasing recognition that additional whole-blood components also play a crucial role in clot formation. The erythrocyte is a particularly important-and often overlooked-contributor to venous thrombi ("red clots"). Sickle cell trait (SCT), the most common hemoglobin variant worldwide, has been consistently shown to confer a modestly increased risk of VTE, and pathophysiologic studies indicate that subclinical erythrocyte changes in SCT interact both with the coagulation system and with clot composition. In this review, we characterize SCT ("HbAS" or "heterozygous HbS") as a low-risk inherited thrombophilia and compare it to the most well-known thrombophilias: heterozygous factor V Leiden and prothrombin 20210A mutation.

Source: Hematology

DOI: 10.1182/hematology.2025000717

Authors: Rakhi P. Naik, Rafal Pawlinski, Nigel S. Key

Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Health Care

Language: English

Topic: Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute