Population data provide evidence against the presence of a set point for hemoglobin levels or tissue oxygen delivery

[en] Hemoglobin levels are believed to be regulated as per a set point model of regulation. This model of regulation, by which specific levels of a parameter are targeted and defended by physiological systems, implies a particular population correlation between the parameter and its controlling hormone. Empirical population correlations of other parameters and their controlling hormones, have denied the presence of such set point-based regulation. To assess if hemoglobin is regulated according to a set point model we performed a systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science identifying relevant reports published up to November 2018. Population hemoglobin/erythropoietin level correlations were retrieved, and these empirically derived correlations were compared with the positive correlation implied by a set point model of regulation. Authors of papers containing potentially suitable data were contacted with requests for further analyses, and a meta-analysis was performed. Twelve correlations between hemoglobin and erythropoietin levels from eleven papers were analyzed. None of these correlations were significantly positive, three, restricted to the normal range of hemoglobin, were significantly negative. All but one of the other correlations showed a negative trend. New analyses of previously published data sets resulted in similar findings. In particular a new analysis of large data sets of males (n = 2417) and females (n = 2592) with normal range hemoglobin levels, revealed significantly negative correlations. A meta-analysis of our results indicated that the data overall are not consistent with a positive relationship between hemoglobin and erythropoietin (P < 0.0001). Population data indicate that individuals do not have set point levels of hemoglobin. © 2019 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

Disciplines :

Hematology

Author, co-author :

Fitzgerald, S. P.; Departments of General Medicine and Endocrinology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Grote Beverborg, N.; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Medicine-Cardiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen and Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands

Beguin, Yves ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Hématologie

Artunc, F.; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Vascular Disease, Nephrology and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

Falhammar, H.; Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Menzies School of Health Research and Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, NT, Australia

Bean, N. G.; School of Mathematical Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Language :

English

Title :

Population data provide evidence against the presence of a set point for hemoglobin levels or tissue oxygen delivery

Publication date :

2019

Journal title :

Physiological Reports

eISSN :

2051-817X

Publisher :

American Physiological Society

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

e14153

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 16 November 2019

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