title: Sickle cell trait as a cause of splenic infarction while climbing Mt. Fuji.
abstract: We report a 38-year-old mestizo man with the sudden onset of left upper abdominal pain while climbing Mt. Fuji, which is the highest mountain in Japan. Enhanced computed tomography showed splenic infarction. Although his peripheral blood smear was normal, a hemoglobin S level of 40% established the diagnosis of sickle cell trait (SCT). This trait is common worldwide, but is not well recognized by doctors in Japan because no Japanese patients with SCT have been reported. However, in Japan it is important to consider SCT when assessing foreign patients with splenic infarction.
authors: Department of General Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan. chiba_u_soshin@mac.com
authors: Hiraku
authors: H
authors: Funakoshi
authors: Toshihiko
authors: T
authors: Takada
authors: Masahito
authors: M
authors: Miyahara
authors: Tomoko
authors: T
authors: Tsukamoto
authors: Kazutaka
authors: K
authors: Noda
authors: Yoshiyuki
authors: Y
authors: Ohira
authors: Masatomi
authors: M
authors: Ikusaka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009051:Mountaineering; D012805:Sickle Cell Trait / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013159:Splenic Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*