THURSDAY, Sept. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with sickle cell trait (SCT) have an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to a study published online Sept. 12 in Blood Advances.

Keng-Han Lin, Ph.D., from 23andMe in Sunnyvale, California, and colleagues leveraged data from the 23andMe Research cohort (4,184,082 participants) to calculate the ancestry-independent risk for VTE associated with SCT. A meta-analysis of three genetic ancestry groups (European [3,183,142 participants], Latine [597,539 participants], and South Asian [41,257 participants]) was used to calculate odds ratios.

The researchers found that 2.25 percent of participants from the full cohort reported a history of VTE. In a meta-analysis, the risk for VTE was increased 1.45-fold among individuals with SCT versus non-SCT carriers, similar to the full cohort estimate. In SCT, the risk for pulmonary embolism (PE) was higher than that of isolated deep vein thrombosis (DVT; odds ratios, 1.95 versus 1.04). Carriers of factor V Leiden had a 3.30-fold increased risk for VTE versus noncarriers, with a higher risk for isolated DVT versus PE (odds ratios, 3.59 and 2.72, respectively).

“Our study also provides high-powered data to confirm the PE-predominant pattern of VTE in SCT carriers. These data may inform clinical practice guidelines, future research, and public health initiatives in SCT,” the authors write.

Several authors are employed by and hold stock or stock options in 23andMe.

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