title: Excessive erythrocytosis, chronic mountain sickness, and serum cobalt levels.
abstract: In a subset of high-altitude dwellers, the appropriate erythrocytotic response becomes excessive and can result in chronic mountain sickness. We studied men with (study group) and without excessive erythrocytosis (packed-cell volume >65%) living in Cerro de Pasco, Peru (altitude 4300 m), and compared them with controls living in Lima, Peru (at sea-level). Toxic serum cobalt concentrations were detected in 11 of 21 (52%) study participants with excessive erythrocytosis, but were undetectable in high altitude or sea-level controls. In the mining community of Cerro de Pasco, cobalt toxicity might be an important contributor to excessive erythrocytosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: J Ashley
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.forename: Maria-Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hurtado
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pando
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tapia
authors.forename: Erik R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Swenson
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prchal
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Schreiner
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Schoene
authors.forename: Abdias
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurtado
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003035:Cobalt / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D003035:Cobalt