Biochemical differences in ethnic groups in Durango, Mexico

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess biochemical differences between Tepehuano indigenous people, and Mennonite and Mestizo populations of Durango, Mexico. Methods: Our study involved 334 volunteers aged 15 to 80 years; 132 Mennonite and 130 Mestizo individuals from Nuevo Ideal Municipality and 72 Tepehuano indigenous people from Mezquital Durango were evaluated. A clinical history and fast determination of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), uric acid, urea and creatinine were performed on each studied case. Results: Statistically significant differences between the three studied groups were found for age, weight and height (P<.05), with higher values observed in men. The highest plasma urea levels were found in Mennonite compared to Mestizo people, followed by the Tepehuano indigenous. Higher biochemical parameters were found in men (vs women) in the studied groups. The percentage of individuals with abnormal levels for AST, ALT and uric acid were higher in Tepehuano indigenous people than in Mestizo, whereas the urea and creatinine percentages were higher in Mestizo people. Conclusion: The differences found on biochemical tests, could be explained by differences in lifestyle such as diet and sanitary habits.