Genetic epidemiology of Greenland

The Inuit (Eskimo) gene pool is in many respects similar to that of East Asian populations. Some polymorphisms imply frequent occurrence of disorders comparatively rare in Western Europe (e.g. lactose and sucrose malabsorptions). Low frequencies of alleles for slow isoniazid acetylation and sparteine/debrisoquine oxidation indicate slow elimination of a multitude of drugs. Autoimmune disorders (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Graves' disease and psoriasis) are rare, possibly explained by the associations of these disorders with HLA-alleles rare in the Inuit (e.g. HLA-B8). A correspondingly high incidence of reactive arthritis may be explained by a frequent HLA-B27 allele. The prevalence of disorders due to instability of mesenchymal tissues (e.g. spondylolisthesis, osteoarthrosis, hernia, heart block) still requires a biochemical explanation. Attention is drawn to the urgency of genetic studies in the Arctic because of the accelerating hybridization of the Inuit in all circumpolar areas.