David Green, MD, PhD reviewing Liem RI et al. Blood 2016 Nov 16.

African-Americans with versus without sickle cell trait had similar changes in cardiovascular fitness and no excess risk for hypertension, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.

Individuals with sickle cell trait (SCT) were recently shown to be at higher risk for rhabdomyolysis than those without SCT (N Engl J Med 2016; 375:435), raising questions about whether they might be more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease.

Now, investigators have conducted a longitudinal analysis of cardiovascular fitness and risk for hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in 1995 African-American patients (mean age, 24.3 years) who participated in the CARDIA study (J Clin Epidemiol 1988; 41:1105), of whom 6.8% had SCT.

During 20 years of graded exercise performance, the average annual change in cardiovascular fitness was similar in those with or without SCT, in terms of test duration, estimated metabolic equivalents, maximum heart rate, and heart-rate recovery. During 25 years of observation, incident hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome were similar in those with or without SCT.

CITATION(S):

Liem RI et al. Longitudinal association among sickle cell trait, fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in African Americans in CARDIA. Blood 2016 Nov 16; [e-pub]. 

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