The sickle cell test screens for sickle cell anemia in the blood. The sickle cell blood test is sometimes performed to meet NCAA requirements.
Test Type: Blood
Test Results: Typically 4 days
This sickle cell test, sometimes known as a hemoglobin solubility test, sickle cell lab test, or a sickle cell blood test, screens for the presence of sickling hemoglobins in the blood — specifically hemoglobin S (Hb-S) and hemoglobin C-Harlem (Hb Ch). A negative result indicates that no sickling hemoglobin was detected. A positive result indicates that sickling hemoglobin is present and typically requires additional testing.
Through Accesa Labs, people can order a sickle cell test online, get tested at a local lab, and get results electronically, typically in 4 business days or less.
This sickle cell blood test is used to check for the presence of sickling hemoglobins such as hemoglobin-s (Hb-S) or hemoglobin c-Harlem (Hb Ch). During vigorous exercise or in other conditions of body stress (e.g. high altitude, infection or surgery), people with sickle cell anemia can experience something called a sickling crisis. During a crisis, the red blood cells transform from malleable cells into rigid, sickle-shaped cells that can obstruct small blood vessels. The obstructed blood vessels are unable to deliver adequate blood flow to tissues, leading to pain and tissue damage.
Incoming NCAA student-athletes
All student-athletes entering their initial season of eligibility at an NCAA Division I, II, or III institution must provide documented sickle cell trait status. This is a mandatory bylaw requirement as of August 1, 2022. The Accesa Labs sickle cell test satisfies this requirement with a CLIA-certified laboratory result on laboratory letterhead. Results are available in 4 business days or less.
Transfer student-athletes
Transfer student-athletes who have not previously provided documented sickle cell trait status to their new institution may be required to test or provide documentation of prior sickle cell testing. Students should confirm the specific documentation requirements with their new institution's athletic training or sports medicine department.
Students trying out for college athletic teams
Students who are trying out for intercollegiate athletic teams - even before formal enrollment - are also subject to the NCAA sickle cell testing requirement.
People with a family history of sickle cell disease
First-degree relatives of people with sickle cell disease have an elevated probability of carrying sickle cell trait. Individuals with a family history of sickle cell disease who have not been tested and want to know their own carrier status may order this test for personal health awareness.
People preparing for organ donation
Some organ donation programs require sickle cell screening as part of the donor evaluation process.
Personal reasons
Occasionally, sickle cell testing is performed prior to marriage, foreign travel, or organ donation.
The NCAA requires all new student-athletes - including those in their initial season of eligibility and students trying out for a team - to provide documented sickle cell trait status before participating in college athletic activities. This requirement applies to all Division I, II, and III athletes. As of August 1, 2022, the option to sign a waiver declining sickle cell trait confirmation was eliminated; testing or documented proof of prior testing is now mandatory for all new athletes.
The requirement can be satisfied in one of three ways:
During vigorous or sustained exercise, the muscles consume large amounts of oxygen and reduce the oxygen content of the blood. In people carrying sickle cell trait, this oxygen reduction can trigger red blood cells containing hemoglobin S to transform from their normally flexible disc shape into rigid, sickle-shaped cells. These sickled cells can obstruct small blood vessels and prevent adequate blood flow to muscles and organs. This sickling crisis can cause severe muscle pain, weakness, and - in rare cases - life-threatening complications.
Knowledge of an athlete's sickle cell trait status allows athletic trainers, coaches, and medical staff to implement appropriate precautions during sports. Modified conditioning protocols, enhanced hydration practices, and emergency response plans are examples of interventions that can substantially reduce the risk of serious complications.
To get a sickle cell test near you, order online and get tested at the Quest Diagnostics lab that you chose. Once your sickle cell lab results are ready, they can be downloaded. As can be seen on the sample sickle cell lab report above, the sickle cell screen results will be resulted as a positive or negative result.
Unusual infections are often common in people with active sickle cell disease. For example, tuberculosis can occur more frequently in people with sickle cell disease which is why concurrent test with the QuantiFERON TB blood test is sometimes done at the same time as sickle cell testing.
A positive sickle cell solubility test result means that sickling hemoglobin was detected in the blood. This does not automatically mean that an athlete has sickle cell disease or will be excluded from athletic participation. Most athletes with a positive SST have sickle cell trait rather than disease. Athletes with confirmed sickle cell trait can generally participate in college athletics with appropriate precautions and education.
A positive SST typically requires confirmatory testing - usually hemoglobin electrophoresis - to determine whether the individual has sickle cell trait (one abnormal gene) or sickle cell disease (two abnormal genes). An athlete who receives a positive SST should contact their institution's athletic training staff and medical provider for guidance on confirmatory testing and next steps.
Understanding the difference between sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease is important for anyone ordering this test:
Sickle cell trait means a person has inherited one normal hemoglobin gene and one sickle hemoglobin gene. Most people with sickle cell trait have no symptoms and live normal lives. However, during conditions of extreme physical stress such as intense athletic exertion, dehydration, high altitude, or illness, red blood cells can assume a rigid sickle shape. The rigid cells can obstruct small blood vessels, potentially causing a sickling crisis. This is the specific risk the NCAA's screening program is designed to identify and manage.
Sickle cell disease means a person has inherited two abnormal hemoglobin genes and is a serious, lifelong chronic condition with significant health implications beyond exercise risk. The sickle cell solubility test used for NCAA compliance detects the presence of sickling hemoglobin but does not definitively distinguish between sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease. A positive result typically requires confirmatory testing by hemoglobin electrophoresis.
Sickle cell trait is far more common than sickle cell disease and occurs in approximately 8% of the U.S. African American population. It also occurs at elevated rates in people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, Caribbean, and Central and South American ancestry. Athletes of all backgrounds can carry sickle cell trait, however, which is why the NCAA requires testing for all new student-athletes regardless of ancestry.
Test Code(s): 825
Other Test Name(s): Sickle Cell Screen