The National Athletic Trainers Association recently released a report discussing sickle cell issues. Although they only "suggest but don't recommend" screening, they apparently are looking for increased awareness to sickle cell related issues as several young athletes have died from the condition in recent years.The sickle cell gene is inherited. NATA says it is most common in people (including one in 12 African-Americans) originating from malarial regions and that "over the millennia, carrying one sickle cell gene fended off death from malaria."I think college football and basketball counts as a sustained physical activity. The good news is that according to the AP story, 64% of colleges responded to a survey saying they screen for sickle cell traits. Neither the NCAA or NATA appear to feel alarmed about the issue, although voluntary universal screening by member institutions would be a wise move assuming the costs aren't prohibitive.
Sickle cell trait differs from the disease sickle cell anemia, in which two sickle cell genes are present.
"It's typically a benign condition ... outside of an intense, sustained physical activity," said Scott Anderson, head athletic trainer at the University of Oklahoma and co-chair of NATA's sickle cell task force.
I'm not much for the NCAA mandating things to schools and am not urging their energies here. However, this seems like a common-sense preventative health issue to make athletes aware that they may have a condition that could cause harm under physical strain. It would behoove schools to at least be aware of this and consider screening if they haven't already.
