Trace Elements in Medicine (Moscow)
2017, 18(3): 20–24
TOPICAL PAPER

ALTERNATIVE STATISTICAL APPROACHES IN DETERMINING THE ELEMENTAL STATUS OF A MAN

N.V. Pokhilyuk

Federal Public Health Institution «Medical-sanitary part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the Magadan Region», Proletarskaya street, 25/3, Magadan, 685000, Russia

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2017-18-3-20-24 

ABSTRACT. The article presents the results of the elemental status investigation for the North indigenous popu-lation with the help of various statistical approaches. A multistage statistical data processing has been carried out. The first stage of the analysis performed was a comparison of the absolute values of the chemical elements content for the Evens with reference values and similar indicators for the Caucasoid people. We identified a combined deficit of Ca, Co and Se for both the Evens and Caucasoids. The aim of the second stage of the analysis was to determine the ratio of the elements studied to calcium. We determined the increase in the median of two macroelements’ (K, Na) relative content for the Evens in comparison with the Caucasoids (p < 0.05). At the same time, in the Evens, the content of Al, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Se, Si, V, Zn, I was lower than in Caucasoids (p < 0.05). The third stage of the analysis was the calculation of the correlation coefficients for the absolute and relative values of the chemical elements content in the Evens. We have determined the pairs of elements that have not lost the strength of the correlation upon the transition in calculations from absolute values to relative values: K-Na (0.93), Cr-V (0.75), Cd-Pb (0.68), Al-Li and Cr-I (0.67), Cr-Si and P-Si (0.61), As-Cr (0.59), As-Na (0.56), P-V (0.50).

KEYWORDS: relative values, macroelements, trace elements, calcium.