[Association of high altitude-induced hypoxemia to lipid profile and glycemia in men and women living at 4,100m in the Peruvian Central Andes].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: At a same altitude, people with greater hypoxemia would have higher hemoglobin (Hb) levels than less hypoxemic patients. It is not known whether higher hypoxemia levels (as measured by higher Hb values) affect basal glucose and lipid profile at an altitude of 4,100mg (Carhuamayo and Junln).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Glucose, lipid, and hemoglobin levels and body mass index (BMI) were assessed in 158 males and 348 females aged 35 to 75 years. Association of lipid and glucose levels with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) was also assessed. Results were analyzed using Student's t test, Chi-square test, analysis of variance, correlations, and linear multivariate analyses adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking, and education.
RESULTS: Higher hemoglobin levels were directly associated to higher levels of total cholesterol (P<0.001), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P<0.002), non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL) (P<0.01), and triglycerides (P<0.01). No association was found between hemoglobin and glucose (P>0.05). Levels of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood glucose were directly associated to DBP.
CONCLUSIONS: In people living at high altitude (4100m), the non-HDL cholesterol fraction and triglycerides are directly associated to hemoglobin value, and increases in them are in turn associated to higher DBP.