Sleep, Breathing and Psychomotor Performance at Altitude: A Physiologic Study in Healthy Subjects

Conditions

Healthy Men

Keywords

hypoxia, altitude, sleep, sleep apnea, periodic breathing, vigilance, psychomotor, endothelial function

Brief summary

This study investigates the effect of altitude exposure on sleep, breathing and psychomotor performance in healthy subjects.

Detailed description

Sleep is essential for well being and performance. Sleep disturbances by recurrent apnea and hypoxia in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome impair quality of life, cognitive and cardiovascular functions. Similar consequences occur in healthy subjects exposed to hypoxia at altitude due to periodic breathing with recurrent central apnea. This project will investigate effects of altitude on sleep, breathing, psychomotor performance and on the cardiovascular system in healthy subjects and patients with sleep apnea. The results will help to better understand mechanisms of sleep disturbances and psychomotor impairment induced by hypoxia and to prevent adverse effects of altitude exposure.

Katrin Stadelmann, Tsogyal D. Latshang, Christian M. Lo Cascio, Ross A. Clark, Reto Huber et al. (8 authors)

PLoS ONE2015-02-2747 citations

10.1371/journal.pone.0116695

Are Nocturnal Breathing, Sleep, and Cognitive Performance Impaired at Moderate Altitude (1,630–2,590 m)?

Tsogyal D. Latshang, Christian M. Lo Cascio, Anne-Christin Stöwhas, Mirjam Grimm, Katrin Stadelmann et al. (10 authors)

SLEEP2013-11-2687 citations

10.5665/sleep.3242

Effects of Acute Exposure to Moderate Altitude on Vascular Function, Metabolism and Systemic Inflammation

Anne-Christin Stöwhas, Tsogyal D. Latshang, Christian M. Lo Cascio, Sina Lautwein, Katrin Stadelmann et al. (13 authors)

PLoS ONE2013-08-0126 citations

10.1371/journal.pone.0070081

Interventions

OTHERaltitude exposure

exposure to 490m, 1700m and 2590m

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

MALE

Age

18 Years to 70 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* healthy men * residence at \<800m

Exclusion criteria

* any active disease requiring treatment * requirement for regular use of medication * smoking, regular intake of alcohol or drugs * body mass index \<18 or \>30 kg/m2 * previous intolerance of moderate altitude (\<3000m)

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
apnea/hypopnea index	day 1-4 at altitude	—
Reaction time	day 1-4 at altitude	psychomotor vigilance test reaction time

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Psychomotor vigilance	day 1-4 at altitude	performance in the Motor Task Manager test
sleep quality	day 1-4 at altitude	percent of slow wave sleep, araousal index
arterial applanation tonometry	day 1-4 at altitude	endothelial function and arterial stiffness

Countries

Switzerland

Outcome results

None listed