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
• Main Authors: Milman, N, Byg, K E, Mulvad, G, Pedersen, H S, Bjerregaard, P
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking; Anemia; Hypochromic; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Denmark; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Ferritins; Greenland; Hematocrit; Hemoglobins; Humans; Inuits; Iron; Male; Middle Aged; Postmenopause; Premenopause; Prevalence; Sex Factors; Smoking; Ilulissat; Nuuk; greenlander*; greenlandic; inuits; Uummannaq
• Online Access: https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/da/publications/40f9c473-e6e3-4678-8922-8f8bbece2de6; https://doi.org/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 xi2-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 microg/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 microg/L and Hb <5th percentile for iron-replete men and women) was 0% in men, 2.78% in women < or =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 microg/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 microg/L and Hb <5th percentile for iron replete men and women) was 0% in men, 1.92% in women < or =50 yr of age and 0% in ...