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Haemostatic profile of the San (Bushmen) relocated to Schmidtsdrif
V van Wyk1, M J Coetzee, K C Alexander
1Department of Haematology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein.
Objective:
To document the routine haemostatic variables of a group of San relocated from Namibia to South Africa.
Design:
Cross-sectional study done in two stages.
Setting:
Schmidtsdrif military camp in late 1990 and early 1991.
Subjects:
Healthy adult San volunteers: 31 males and 54 females from the Vasakela and Barakwena groups in 1990; 135 males from the Vasakela group in 1991. The subjects were all soldiers or their dependants.
Main Outcome Measures:
The following tests were performed: activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, thrombin time, fibrinogen and coagulation factors V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII. The results were compared with a Western population reference group (N = 50).
Main Results:
Almost all the haemostatic variables were statistically significantly lower than those of the reference group. The mean derived fibrinogen concentration in the plasma in the first stage of the study (1990) was significantly higher, but this reverted to normal during the second stage (1991), perhaps reflecting a general improvement in health.
Conclusions:
Even though the San are one of the best studied groups of indigenous people, this is the first published report on their haemostatic condition. The generally lower levels of haemostatic variables may reflect the lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the San. The population needs to be followed up as they westernise.