Origins of differences in hemoglobin concentration between Himalayan and Andean populations.

Mean hemoglobin concentration of 3511 adult males derived from 19 studies of Andean male permanent residents and 10 studies of Himalayan male permanent residents were compared with reference to partial pressure of inspired oxygen. The regression equation (weighted for sample size) of PIO2 and hemoglobin concentration of the Andean miners is significantly (P less than 0.01) greater than that of the Andean and Himalayan non-miners. However, the relationship of PIO2 and Hb is similar in the non-mining Andean and Himalayan samples. These findings suggest that the observed differences in hemoglobin concentration between Andean and Himalayan samples are due, in part, to the inclusion of miners in the Andean samples. The higher barometric pressure associated with the north latitude location of the Himalayans may also contribute to decrease the hypoxic stress in the Himalayas. The present data suggest that Andeans and Himalayans have a similar hemopoietic response to hypoxic stress.