TABLE 4.
Comparison of female characteristics according to erythrocytosis profiles [Classification 1, current international consensus (Leon-Velarde et al., 2005)].
| Without EE n (%) or median [IQR] | With EE n (%) or median [IQR] | |
| n (%) | 171 (72.8) | 64 (27.2) |
| Age (years) | 25 [21; 35] | 24.5 [22; 32] |
| Ethnic group | ||
| Aymara | 10 (5.8) | 3 (4.7) |
| Quechua | 161 (94.2) | 61 (95.3) |
| Residency in La Rinconada (years) (years) | 3 [2; 5] | 4 [3; 5] |
| Hematocrit (%) | 50 [49; 54] | 60 [58; 63]* |
| SpO2 (%) | 83 [80; 85] | 82 [80; 85] |
| Heart rate (bpm) | 90 [79; 97] | 86.5 [71.5; 93]* |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 70 [70; 80] | 70 [70; 80] |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 100 [100; 110] | 100 [100; 105] |
| Breathlessness/palpitations | ||
| 0 | 124 (72.5) | 60 (93.8)* |
| 1 | 29 (17) | 2 (3.1)* |
| 2–3 | 18 (10.5) | 2 (3.1)* |
| Sleep disturbance | ||
| 0 | 99 (57.9) | 64 (100)* |
| 1–3 | 72 (42.1) | 0 (0)* |
| Cyanosis | ||
| 0 | 107 (62.6) | 57 (89.1)* |
| 1 | 44 (25.7) | 3 (4.7)* |
| 2–3 | 20 (11.7) | 4 (6.3)* |
| Dilatation of veins | ||
| 0 | 141 (82.5) | 62 (96.9)* |
| 1 | 20 (11.7) | 2 (3.1)* |
| 2 | 7 (4.1) | 0 (0)* |
| 3 | 3 (1.8) | 0 (0)* |
| Paresthesia | ||
| 0 | 128 (74.9) | 59 (92.2)* |
| 1 | 34 (19.9) | 5 (7.8)* |
| 2–3 | 9 (5.3) | 0 (0)* |
| Headache | ||
| 0 | 103 (60.2) | 62 (96.9)* |
| 1–3 | 68 (39.8) | 2 (3.1)* |
| Tinnitus | ||
| 0 | 36 (21.1) | 4 (6.3)* |
| 1 | 87 (50.9) | 60 (93.8)* |
| 2 | 41 (24) | 0 (0)* |
| 3 | 7 (4.1) | 0 (0)* |
EE, excessive erythrocytosis; IQR, interquartile range; SpO2, pulse oxygen saturation. Scores of symptom severity were grouped when the number of subjects per score was too small to allow statistical analysis. * Significantly different from subjects without EE (p < 0.05).