but not fetal hemoglobin differentiates chronic mountain sickness from healthy Andean highlanders

Chronic mountain sickness (CMS) results from chronic hypoxia. It is unclear why certain highlanders develop CMS. We hypothesized modest increases in fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is associated with lower CMS severity. In this cross-sectional study, we showed that normal HbF levels (median 0.4%) were found in all 153 adult Andean natives in Cerro de Pasco, Peru. Compared to healthy adults, the borderline elevated hemoglobin group frequently had symptoms (headaches, tinnitus, cyanosis, dilatation of veins) of CMS.

Source: Experimental Hematology - March 4, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: Matthew M. Hsieh, David Callacondo, Jose Rojas-Camayo, Jose Quesada-Olarte, Xunde Wang, Naoya Uchida, Irina Maric, Alan T. Remaley, Fabiola Leon-Velarde, Francisco C. Villafuerte, John F. Tisdale Source Type: research