Haemoglobin concentrations appear to be lower in indigenous Greenlanders than in Danes: assessment of haemoglobin in 234 Greenlanders and in 2804 Danes

• Published in: European journal of haematology Vol. 67; no. 1; pp. 23 - 29
• Main Authors: Milman, Nils, Byg, Keld-Erik, Mulvad, Gert, Pedersen, Henning Sloth, Bjerregaard, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Copenhagen Munksgaard International Publishers 01.07.2001; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking - blood; anaemia; Anemia, Hypochromic - epidemiology; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Denmark; Denmark - epidemiology; Denmark - ethnology; diet; Diseases of red blood cells; European Continental Ancestry Group - genetics; Female; ferritin; Ferritins - blood; Greenland; Greenland - epidemiology; haemoglobin; Hematocrit; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hematology; Hemoglobins - analysis; Humans; Inuit; Inuits - genetics; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); iron; Iron - blood; Iron - deficiency; Male; Medical sciences; men; Middle Aged; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Postmenopause - blood; Premenopause - blood; Prevalence; Sex Factors; Smoking - blood; transferrin; women; Denmark; North America; Europe; Greenland; America; Human; Transferrin; Reference; Ferritin; Iron; Concentration; Ethnic group; Standards; Blood; Clinical biology; Hemoglobin; Value; Female; Genetics; Autochtonous; Blood cell count; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0902-4441; 1600-0609
• DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0609.2001.067001023.x

: Objective: To compare haemoglobin concentrations in Greenlanders and Danes. Methods: Haemoglobin was measured in a population survey in 1993–1994 comprising 234 indigenous Greenlandic individuals (115 men) aged 19–82 yr and in Copenhagen County 1983–1984 comprising 2804 Caucasian Danes (1444 men) aged 30–60 yr. The Greenlandic participants were residents in the capital Nuuk (n=70), the town Ilulissat (n=74), and four settlements in the Uummannaq district (n=90). The significance of differences was assessed by Student's t‐test, and the ξ2‐test. Correlations were assessed by Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs). Results: Greenlanders: Haemoglobin levels were not correlated with age or consumption of traditional foods, and were not significantly different in the three residential areas. Mean haemoglobin was higher in men, 146±9.6 (SD) g/L, than in women, 132±9.6 g/L (p<0.0001). Mean haemoglobin in iron‐replete men with serum ferritin >32 µg/L (n=104) was 146±9.3 g/L, and in iron‐replete women (n=68) 133±10.4 g/L (p<0.0001). The 5th percentile for haemoglobin in iron‐replete men was 133 g/L (8.3 mmol/L) and in women 118 g/L (7.3 mmol/L). The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia (i.e. ferritin <13 µg/L and Hb <5th percentile for iron‐replete men and women) was 0% in men, 2.78% in women 50 yr of age and 0% in women >50 yr of age. Danes: Mean haemoglobin in men was 154±10.0 g/L and in women 138±10.4 g/L (p<0.0001). Haemoglobin in iron‐replete men (n=1379) (i.e. serum ferritin >32 µg/L) was 154±10.7 g/L, and in iron‐replete women (n=1003) 140±9.6 g/L (p<0.0001). Mean haemoglobin was lower in premenopausal than in postmenopausal women (p<0.0001). The 5th percentile for haemoglobin in iron‐replete men was 137 g/L (8.5 mmol/L) and in women 124 g/L (7.7 mmol/L). The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia (i.e. ferritin <13 µg/L and Hb <5th percentile for iron replete men and women) was 0% in men, 1.92% in women 50 yr of age and 0% in women >50 yr of age. Conclusion: Haemoglobin concentrations in Greenlanders were significantly lower than in Danes both in men (p<0.0001) and in women (p<0.0001). Δ(mean haemoglobin) in men was 8.0 g/L (0.5 mmol/L) and in women 6.2 g/L (0.4 mmol/L). Variations in haemoglobin levels may be due to genetic differences.