A comparative analysis of arterial oxygen saturation among Tibetans and Han born and raised at high altitude

This study compares resting arterial oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (Sp(O2)) among 818 Tibetans and 668 Han who were born and raised at altitudes between 3200 and 4300 m in Qinghai Province, Western China. Both Tibetans and Han show an increase in Sp(O2) values between the ages of 5 and 19 yr, and both groups show a decline after the third decade. However, mean, age-adjusted Sp(O2) values at rest do not differ significantly among growing Tibetans and Han aged 5 through 19 yr or among Tibetans and Han aged 20 through 51 yr. Therefore, the results of this study do not support the hypothesis that indigenous groups possess a superior arterial saturation while awake and at rest compared to lowlanders who have been born and raised at high altitude. Differences between adult Tibetan males and females approach statistical significance (females show higher values than males), while differences between adult Han males and females are not statistically significant. A review of the literature indicates that substantial interstudy variation exists in resting Sp(O2) values among Tibetans residing at high altitudes (between 2% and 4%, depending on the age of individuals measured) and may reflect differences in sample size, health of participants, instruments, probe location, and measurement protocols.