a well-established risk factor for stroke. In the disease, crescent-shaped or “sickled” red blood cells are less able to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. These cells can stick to vessel walls, which can block arteries to the brain and cause a stroke. But with sickle cell trait, a person has inherited one sickle cell gene and one normal gene. They usually have no symptoms of the disease and can have both regular and sickle-shaped blood cells.
About 1,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease each year, according to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. About 70,000 to 100,000 people in the United States have sickle cell disease and 3 million have sickle cell trait.
Globally, it affects millions. The United Nations designated Tuesday as World Sickle Cell Day.
The study Hyacinth led, published in JAMA Neurology, included data from 19,464 people with an average age of 60 to see how sickle cell trait impacted the risk of ischemic stroke, the most common form of stroke. The data included 1,520 people with sickle cell trait and 620 people with stroke.
Dr. Olajide Williams, chief of staff of neurology at Columbia University, agreed doctors need to keep investigating when it comes to treating African American patients.
“Sickle cell trait does not explain the