Table 2.
Fetal haematology and blood gases
| 400 m European | 3600 m European | 400 m Andean | 3600 m Andean | P-values | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n= 44 (range) | n= 37 (range) | n= 44 (range) | n= 43 (range) | ||
| Haemoglobin (g dl−1) | 14.7 ± 0.2 | 17.1 ± 0.3 | 14.3 ± 0.2 | 16.8 ± 0.2 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (12.2–17.1) | (12.6–20.2) | (11.2–16.9) | (13.3–19.2) | P= 0.10 ancestry | |
| Hematocrit (%) | 44 ± 1 | 50 ± 1 | 44 ± 1 ± 0.6 | 49 ± 1 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (36–55) | (38–70) | (34–55) | (39–56) | ||
| Transferrin (mg/ml) | 3.0 ± 0.1 | 3.1 ± 0.2 | 3.4 ± 0.2 | 3.2 ± 0.1 | NS |
| (1.5–3.9) | (1.8–4.9) | (1.5–4.8) | (1.3–4.8) | ||
| Erythropoietin (IU ml−1) | 23.5 ± 2.4 | 41.6 ± 4.5 | 24.6 ± 2.4 | 30.7 ± 2.2 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| 5.8–74.5 | 15.6–102.6 | 11.5–63.9 | (8.1–54.4) | P < 0.05 interaction | |
| Umbilical vein | n= 41 | n= 30 | n= 37 | n= 41 | |
 (mmHg) |
29.8 ± 1.0 | 28.2 ± 1.2 | 31.4 ± 1.0 | 27.0 ± 0.9 | P < 0.005 altitude |
| (20–45) | (15–41) | (18–44) | (15–38) | ||
 (%) |
52 ± 2 | 53 ± 3 | 55 ± 2 | 57 ± 3 | NS ancestry |
| (26–78) | (22–75) | (26–76) | (18–78) | ||
 (mmHg) |
46.6 ± 1.0 | 42.1 ± 1.0 | 44.1 ± 0.9 | 39.2 ± 0.7 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (35.6–61.3) | (23.0–52.0) | (32.0–57.2) | (31.6–51.0) | P= 0.005 ancestry | |
| pH | 7.34 ± 0.01 | 7.34 ± 0.01 | 7.35 ± 0.01 | 7.35 ± 0.01 | P= 0.08 ancestry |
| (7.28–7.40) | (7.27–7.40) | (7.31–7.38) | (7.21–7.40) | ||
| Bicarbonate (mmol l−1) | 23 ± 0.4 | 21 ± 0.2 | 23 ± 0.4 | 21 ± 0.2 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (17–28) | (18–23) | (18–27) | (17–27) | ||
| Base excess (mmol l−1) | –1.5 ± 0.3 | – 3.2 ± 0.2 | –1.8 ± 0.3 | – 4.4 ± 0.2 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (–6.0–3.2) | –5.3 to – 0.4) | (–6.0–1.9) | (–7.3 to –1.7) | P < 0.01 ancestry | |
| Calculated O2 content (ml l−1) | 103 ± 4 | 118 ± 6 | 104 ± 4 | 129 ± 6 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (53–141) | (30–175) | (56–160) | (45–187) | ||
| Umbilical artery | n= 38 | n= 29 | n= 37 | n= 38 | |
 (mmHg) |
16.6 ± 0.8 | 15.4 ± 1.0 | 18.0 ± 0.9 | 16.9 ± 0.7 | P= 0.09 ancestry |
| (7.9–32.0) | (5.3–28.2) | (9.3–38.3) | (8.5–28.7) | ||
 (%) |
20 ± 2 | 16 ± 2 | 22 ± 2 | 25 ± 2 | P < 0.005 ancestry |
| (7.9–32) | (5.3–26.1) | (7.8–32.0) | 9.3–28.3) | P= 0.06 interaction | |
 (mmHg) |
56.0 ± 1.1 | 51.1 ± 0.9 | 55.1 ± 1.1 | 47.6 ± 0.9 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (38.9–76.0) | (44.0–79.7) | (40.5–84.8) | (40.0–61.5) | P < 0.05 ancestry | |
| pH | 7.28 ± 0.01 | 7.29 ± 0.01 | 7.30 ± 0.01 | 7.30 ± 0.01 | P < 0.05 ancestry |
| (7.21–7.35) | (7.24–7.39) | (7.22–7.36) | (7.16–7.34) | ||
| Bicarbonate (mmol l−1) | 24.3 ± 0.6 | 22.1 ± 0.6 | 24.9 ± 0.5 | 22.6 ± 0.3 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (16.3–29.7) | (18.9–26.8) | (18.6–29.7) | (18.9–26.8) | ||
| Calculated O2 content (ml l−1) | 39 ± 3 | 36 ± 4 | 43 ± 3 | 52 ± 4 | P < 0.005 ancestry |
| (10–85) | (5–97) | (16–110) | (12–137) | P < 0.05 interaction | |
| Maternal ‘arterialized’ | n= 44 | n= 37 | n= 44 | n= 43 | |
| Haemoglobin (gm dl−1) | 12.0 ± 0.2 | 15.3 ± 0.2 | 11.1 ± 0.2 | 14.6 ± 0.2 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (9.1–14.3) | (12.6–17.8) | (8.5–13.8) | (11.3–18.0) | P < 0.001 ancestry | |
| Haematocrit (%) | 36.7 ± 0.4 | 42.0 ± 0.6 | 34.4 ± 0.6 | 40.7 ± 0.6 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (31.0–42.0) | (32.5–48.0) | (28.0–44.0) | (34.1–49.0) | P < 0.005 ancestry | |
 (%) |
97.6 ± 0.1 | 91.4 ± 0.4 | 97.8 ± 0.1 | 91.1 ± 0.3 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (92.2–99.3) | (80.2–94.1) | (94.0–99.3) | (80.3–93.8) | ||
 (mmHg) |
90.8 ± 1.7 | 54.6 ± 1.2 | 93.7 ± 1.3 | 53.2 ± 1.7 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (86.2–110.4) | (41.0–70.5) | (85.6–115.0) | (41.5–71.8) | ||
 (mmHg) |
35.2 ± 0.4 | 28.0 ± 0.6 | 35.7 ± 0.4 | 26.5 ± 0.4 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (29.6–40.8) | (23.0–37.0) | (29.7–42.1) | (19.8–34.2) | P < 0.05 interaction | |
| pH | 7.42 ± 0.004 | 7.44 ± 0.004 | 7.43 ± 0.004 | 7.44 ± 0.003 | P < 0.001 altitude |
| (7.37–7.38) | (7.38–7.48) | (7.39–7.48) | (7.39–7.48) | P < 0.05 ancestry | |
| Bicarbonate | 22.3 ± 0.3 | 19.0 ± 0.4 | 23.2 ± 0.3 | 17.8 ± 0.3 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (18.3–27.1) | (15.7–23.4) | (18.5–28.0) | (14.8–22.7) | P < 0.005 interaction | |
| Calculated arterial O2 content (ml l−1) | 157 ± 2 | 187 ± 2 | 146 ± 3 | 178 ± 3 | P < 0.0001 altitude |
| (118–188) | (158–219) | (108–179) | (136–219) | P < 0.001 ancestry |
Data are means ±s.e.m.