Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Psychomotor Performance and Sleep Quality in Lowlanders
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 18
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Sustained attention measured by a visual pychomotor vigilance test (PVT)
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating the effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure to high altitude on psychomotor vigilance to measure sustained attention.
Detailed Description
Baseline measurements will be performed in Santiago de Chile, 520 m, over the course of 3 days. Participants will then travel by commercial airline (2 h flight) and by bus (2 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 they will spend the days (6 total; 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 7 day altitude sojourn participants will return to the Santiago area (520 m) for a 7 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.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 40 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •born, raised and currently living <1300m
- •No overnight stays at altitudes >1500m 4 weeks before the study
Exclusion Criteria
- •previous altitude intolerance <3000m
- •pregnancy
- •health impairment, which requires regular treatment
Arms & Interventions
Altitude exposure
Acute high altitude exposure followed by 8 day acclimatization and re-exposure for 8 days after 6 days at low altitude.
Intervention: altitude exposure (Other)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Sustained attention measured by a visual pychomotor vigilance test (PVT)
Time Frame: Low altitude dojourn at 520m; forst sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7
Change in psychomotor response speed across two cycles of altitude exposure, comparing 5050m to 520m.
Secondary Outcomes
- Indices of sleep quality measured by actigraphy (total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency(Low altitude dojourn at 520m; forst sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7)
Investigators
Marc Poulin
Professor
University of Calgary