The Lancet Haematology report notes that in 2024 the World Health Organization updated hemoglobin thresholds used for anemia classification and revised adjustments for altitude and smoking. The prior altitude corrections, established in 1989, were derived from a limited subset of populations and did not adequately reflect global diversity.
The 2024 revision of altitude adjustment is informed by the BRINDA project, which analyzes multinational survey data and incorporates a broader range of geographic regions and demographic groups. This development implies that anemia estimation and global monitoring may be influenced by more representative adjustments to hemoglobin concentrations in relation to altitude and smoking status.
The source indicates that the previous adjustment framework accommodated fewer populations and could misrepresent anemia prevalence in diverse settings; the BRINDA-based approach aims to improve accuracy by using data from a wider, more varied population base. The report does not provide specific numerical changes to thresholds or adjustment values, and it notes uncertainty regarding the precise impact on anemia prevalence estimates across regions pending further analysis.