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Hematological differences during growth among Tibetans and Han Chinese born and raised at high altitude in Qinghai, China
Author(s) -
Garruto Ralph M.,
Chin ChenTing,
Weitz Charles A.,
Liu JiChuan,
Liu RuiLing,
He Xing
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.10283
Subject(s) - han chinese , demography , hypoxia (environmental) , effects of high altitude on humans , low altitude , hematocrit , china , hemoglobin , altitude (triangle) , physiology , young adult , medicine , biology , geography , genetics , gene , chemistry , oxygen , geometry , mathematics , organic chemistry , archaeology , anatomy , sociology , genotype , single nucleotide polymorphism
This study describes the hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and hematocrit (HCT) of over 1,000 Tibetan and Han children, adolescents, and young adults who were born and raised at 3,200 m, 3,800 m, or 4,300 m in Qinghai Province, western China. At 3,200 m, no altitude effect is evident in the hematological characteristics of either group. At 3,800 m and 4,300 m, both groups show [Hb] and HCT values that are above low‐altitude norms. At both altitudes, Tibetan and Han children show no differences in the pattern of hematological response up to age 13. Among adolescents and young adults, however, the [Hb] and HCT of Han males and females are elevated compared to Tibetans. This indicates that the adolescent period may involve a divergence in the responses to hypoxia made by some individuals in these two groups. Also, many other adolescents and young adults in both groups show similar hematological characteristics, indicating that many Tibetans and Han share similar hematological responses to hypoxia. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.