SICKLE CELL TRAIT

Course overview

SICKLE CELL TRAIT (SCT) IS A BENIGN CONDITION IN WHICH THE AFFECTED INDIVIDUAL HAS ONLY ONE ABNORMAL HEMOGLOBIN BETA GENE ALLELE. THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO SICKLE CELL DISEASE (SCD), IN WHICH THE AFFECTED INDIVIDUAL HAS TWO ABNORMAL HEMOGLOBIN BETA GENE ALLELES. UNLIKE INDIVIDUALS WITH SCD, THOSE WITH SCT DO NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS RELATED TO SICKLING AND CONSEQUENTLY TEND TO HAVE BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE THAN PATIENTS WHO SUFFER FROM SCD. PATIENTS WITH SCT DO NOT HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF MORTALITY COMPARED TO THE GENERAL POPULATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SICKLE CELL TRAIT AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.