Calcitonin in Ghanaians and Israelis

Calcitonin (CT) in serum was measured in a group of (black) Ghanaian traumatic fracture patients (GFP) and in two healthy control groups, (black) Ghanaian (GMS) and (white) Israeli (IMS) medical students. CT (mean +/- SD) in GFP, GMS and IMS was, respectively, 17.2 +/- 6.4, 15.5 +/- 2.8 and 7.6 +/- 3.3 pmol/l. The mean difference between the GFP and GMS was not significant, but that between the Ghanaian groups combined and IMS was 8.8 pmol/l, 95% CI 4.1-13.7, P less than 0.001. Observations elsewhere that CT levels in adult blacks in the tropics are higher than those in whites are confirmed.