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Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Lung Water Content by Ultrasound

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Effect of High Altitude
Interventions
Procedure: Altitude Exposure
Registration Number
NCT02760186
Lead Sponsor
University of Zurich
Brief Summary

Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure to high altitude.

Detailed Description

Low altitude baseline measurements 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 Atacama large Millimeter Array (ALMA) base camp located at 2900 m near San Pedro de Atacama, northern Chile. Participants will stay there for the next 7 nights and 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 7 day altitude sojourn participants will return to the Santiago area (520 m) for a 7 day recovery period.

A second altitude sojourn cycle with an identical schedule as the one described above and a final low altitude stay of 3 days will follow.

Measurements on study subjects will be performed at baseline (lowland, Santiago de Chile), then at 2nd day of altitude exposure and 7th day at altitude before returning to lowland; those are repeated in the second altitude sojourn cycle. Measurements will be conducted by qualified specialists using a portable ultrasound device.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
21
Inclusion Criteria
  • Born, raised and currently living <800m
  • No overnight stay at altitudes > 1500m 4 weeks before the study
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Exclusion Criteria
  • Previous altitude intolerance to altitude <3000m
  • 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 7 day acclimatization and reexposure after 7 days at low altitude
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
ultrasound lung cometschange from lowland baseline at 520m, day 2 and first sojourn at 5050 m, day 2
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
ultrasound lung cometsfirst sojourn at 5050 m, 7; second sojourn at 5050m, day 2, 7

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Switzerland

🇨🇭

Zurich, Switzerland

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