1. [High altitude anemia: validity of definition criteria].
- Author
-
Yepez R, Estevez E, Galan P, Chauliac M, Davila M, Calle A, Estrella R, Masse-Raimbault AM, and Hercberg S
- Subjects
- Adult, Anemia epidemiology, Anemia, Hypochromic epidemiology, Diagnosis, Differential, Ecuador epidemiology, Evaluation Studies as Topic, Female, Ferritins blood, Hematocrit, Hemoglobins analysis, Humans, Male, Reference Values, Reproducibility of Results, Sensitivity and Specificity, World Health Organization, Altitude, Anemia blood, Anemia etiology, Anemia, Hypochromic blood, Anemia, Hypochromic drug therapy, Ferrous Compounds therapeutic use, Folic Acid therapeutic use
- Abstract
The effect of iron and folate supplementation on the hemoglobin response and iron status was studied in male and female equatorian medical students: 66 in Quito (2,800 m altitude) and 40 in Guayaquil (sea level). At the end of the supplementation, there was a nearly complete disappearance of biochemical evidence of iron deficiency in the two groups of students. In Quito, 30% of the men and 26% of the women increased their hemoglobin concentration by more than 1 g/dl after one month of supplementation and could be considered as true anemics, compared to 31% of the men and 29% of the women in Guayaquil. This study shows that at sea level, cut-off points defined by WHO for hemoglobin, taking as reference the impact of a supplementation trial, have a specificity of 100% but poor sensitivity (58%). For people living at high altitudes, cut-off limits adjusted for altitude seem unsuitable: the specificity is 98% but the sensitivity is 0%. Studies taking into account all the factors impacting on the hemoglobin level could be useful for defining cut-off points for high-altitude anemia better than those currently recommended.
- Published
- 1994