Some blood indices in three groups of Nigerians and in very severe but ambulatory cases of anaemia
Watson, R.S.; Etta, K.M.
Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 78(1): 13-18
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-5304 PMID: 1121037 Document Number: 93728
Subjects were 391 Nigerians from Malumfashi, a typical rural environment; they included 207 healthy soldiers in training, of whom 26 were 13 to 17 and the rest 18 to 39 years old, 91 healthy students between 18 and 29 years old and 93 "non-anaemic" outpatients from 18 to 69 years old. Studies were made also on small groups of moderately and severely anaemic but fully ambulatory outpatients. On the basis of the Hb values most commonly observed in healthy male subjects, it was concluded that the normal Hb concentration of a healthy male adult is on average 14.7 g/100 ml blood; packed cell volume is on average 44% and mean corpuscular Hb concentration 32.6%; persons with Hb values below 11 g/100 ml. 75% of normal average, require further haematological investigation for anaemia. Some fully ambulatory patients had extremely low Hb values. There tended to be a compensatory rise in pulse rate as the severity of anaemia increased.