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Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Postural Control in Lowlanders

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Effect of High Altitude
Interventions
Other: altitude exposure
Registration Number
NCT02730182
Lead Sponsor
University of Zurich
Brief Summary

Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating the effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure to high altitude on postural control

Detailed Description

Baseline measurements including the assessment of the center of pressure during 30s, the cerebral oxygen saturation and a sharpened Romberg test 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 base camp of the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope station located at 2900 m near San Pedro de Atacama, northern Chile. Participants will stay there for the next 8 nights and they will be spend the days (6-8 h daily) at the telescope station at 5050 m while undergoing testing as described above at the first and the last day at 5050m. 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.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
21
Inclusion Criteria
  • born, raised and currently living <800m
  • No overnight stay at altitudes >1500 m 4 weeks before the study
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Exclusion Criteria
  • Previous altitude intolerance to altitude <3000 m
  • Pregnancy
  • Health impairment, which requires regular treatment
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Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Altitude exposurealtitude exposureAcute high altitude exposure followed by 8 day acclimatization and reexposure for 8 days after 6 days at low altitude
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Center of pressure path length measured by Wii-balance boardLow altitude sojourn at 520 m; first sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7

Changes in center of pressure path length during the 2 sojourns at 5050 m and compared to lowland.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cerebral tissue oxygen saturation measured by near infrared spectroscopyLow altitude sojourn at 520 m; first sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7

Changes in cerebral oxygen saturation during the 2 sojourns at 5050 m and compared to lowland.

Postural stability measured by sharpened Romberg-test and heel-to-toe walkLow altitude sojourn at 520 m; first sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7

Changes in postural stability during the 2 sojourns at 5050 m and compared to lowland.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Zurich

🇨🇭

Zurich, Switzerland

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