Altitude Hypoxia
Conditions
Keywords
healthy participants older than 40 years, lung water, prevention, acetazolamide
Brief summary
Randomized, placebo controlled trial evaluating the effect of acetazolamide on lung water content by ultrasound in lowlanders older than 40 years travelling from 760 m to 3'100 m.
Detailed description
This is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel trial evaluating the effect of preventive acetazolamide intake on lung water content by ultrasound in lowlanders older than 40 years travelling to altitude. Participants living in the Bishkek area, Kyrgyzstan (760m), will be transferred by car within 4h to the Tuja Ashu high altitude clinic (3'100 m), and stay there for 2 days. Acetazolamide 375mg/day (or placebo), will be administered before departure at 760 m and during the stay at altitude. Outcomes will be assessed during the stay at 3'100 m. An interim analysis will be carried out when 200 participants will have completed the study and/or after the first year. The Peto's method will be used and the trial will be stopped when pre-specified futility boundaries were crossed.
Interventions
Administration of 1x125mg acetazolamide in the morning, 2x125mg in the evening, starting 24 hours before departure to 3'100m
Administration of equally looking placebo capsules in the morning and evening, starting 24 hours before departure to 3'100m
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy men and women, age 40-75 yrs, without any disease and need of medication. * Born, raised and currently living at low altitude (\<800m). * Written informed consent. * Kyrgyz ethnicity
Exclusion criteria
* Any active respiratory, cardiovascular or other disease requiring regular treatment or being otherwise relevant for tolerance of hypoxia or altitude exposure. * Any condition that may interfere with protocol compliance including current heavy smoking (\>20 cigarettes per day or \>20 pack-years with active smoking during the last 10 years), regular use of alcohol. * Allergy to acetazolamide and other sulfonamides.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ultrasound lung comets | Day 2 at 760m and 3100m | Difference in altitude-induced change of ultrasound lung comets between acetazolamide and placebo |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ultrasound lung comets | Day 2 at 3100m | Difference in ultrasound lung comets between acetazolamide and placebo |
Countries
Kyrgyzstan