Abstract
Jordan is a unique country where you have people living at 390 m below sea level at Dead sea area and others living at 1025 m above sea level at the capital Amman. The horizontal distance between these two areas is relatively short not exceeding 30 Km. High school students from each of Amman and Dead Sea areas were compared in respect to venous blood RBC, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC, WBC and washed erythrocyte deformability and intracellular electrolytes. Whole blood results of RBC, Hb, PCV and MCHC were significantly lower and erythrocyte MCV values were significantly higher at Dead Sea level compared with Amman. Erythrocytes from students living at Dead Sea area also showed significantly lower filtration index values (i.e higher deformability) and higher intracellular K+ concentration compared with Amman. This study demonstrates the importance of environmental oxygen tension in determining the blood flow in vivo. The implication of this phenomenon is obvious when designing and interpreting clinical studies and also in advising patients with haemorheolgical problems.
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