Excessive erythrocytosis, chronic mountain sickness, and serum cobalt levels.
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.
Jefferson
J Ashley
JA
Division of Nephrology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
Escudero
Elizabeth
E
Hurtado
Maria-Elena
ME
Pando
Jacqueline
J
Tapia
Rosario
R
Swenson
Erik R
ER
Prchal
Josef
J
Schreiner
George F
GF
Schoene
Robert B
RB
Hurtado
Abdias
A
Johnson
Richard J
RJ
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
D003035:Cobalt