Effect of High Altitude
Conditions
Keywords
Altitude, Nocturnal breathing pattern
Brief summary
Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating the effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure of high altitude on nocturnal breathing pattern.
Detailed description
Respiratory polygraphies will be performed in Santiago de Chile, 520 m, over the course of 3 days. Participants will then travel by commercial airline (5 h flight) and by bus (3 h ride) to the ALMA base camp located at 2900 m near San Pedro de Atacama, northern Chile. Participants will stay there for the next 7 nights and respiratory polygraphies will be performed on night 1 and 6. They will be spend the days (6-8 h daily) at the telescope station at 5050 m while undergoing physiological testing. Daily transports from 2900 to 5050 m will be by car (1 h ride, one way). After the first 8 day altitude sojourn participants will return to the Santiago area (520 m) for a 6 day recovery period. A second altitude sojourn with an identical schedule as the one described above and a final low altitude stay of 3 days will follow.
Interventions
OTHERAltitude exposure
Altitude exposure
Sponsors
University of Calgary
University of Zurich
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* born, raised and currently living \<800m * No overnight stay at altitudes \>1500 m 4 weeks before the study
Exclusion criteria
* Previous altitude intolerance to altitude \<3000 m * Pregnancy * Health impairment, which requires regular treatment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mean nocturnal oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry | first sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; second sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, night 1 | Change in mean nocturnal oxygen saturation over the course of high altitude exposure during 2 sojourns at 5050 m compared to low altitude |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Apnea-/hypopnea index measured by respiratory polygraphy | first sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; second sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, night 1 | Change in apnea-/hypopnea index over the course of high altitude exposure during 2 sojourns at 5050 m compared to low altitude |
| Oxygen desaturation index measured by respiratory polygraphy | first sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; second sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, night 1 | Change in oxygen desaturation index over the course of high altitude exposure during 2 sojourns at 5050 m compared to low altitude |
| Acute mountain sickness measured by the Environmental Symptom questionnaire cerebral score (AMSc) | first sojourn at 5050 m, day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m, day 2,7; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, day 2 | Incidence of acute mountain sickness (AMSc score \>= 0.7) over the course of high altitude exposure during 2 sojourns at 5050 m compared to low altitude |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed