Introduction.

Obesity is a public health problem, it is associated with an increased risk of developing pathologies such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular or lung diseases. At high-altitude, hypobaric hypoxia may imply a significant impact in people with obesity, it involves a decrease in lung functionality, an increase of HIF and erythropoietin conditioning the development of secondary erythrocytosis.

Objective.

To determine the role of obesity in the occurrence of erythrocytosis at a hypobaric hypoxia environment.

Material and methods.

Retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study that considered 615 patients with erythrocytosis (EPA, ES) residing at 3650 and 4150 m, La Paz and El Alto cities from Bolivia. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data by considering patients BMI characteristics as well as degrees of obesity were analyzed.

Results.

7% corresponding to a normal BMI displayed correlation with CMS- erythrocytosis, while 93% distributed by degrees of overweight or obesity correlated with ES. Thrombotic events were related to increased erythropoietin, but not to obesity. The higher BMI, the higher erythropoietin concentrations were. Occurrence of erythrocytosis was representative in men (80%), likewise the occurrence age was after 50 years old.

Conclusions.

Obesity constitutes an important risk factor in the occurrence of secondary erythrocytosis at high altitude, its etiopathogenesis is represented by increased serum erythropoietin.

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