Physiological responses during ascent to high altitude and the incidence of acute mountain sickness

Abstract

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) occurs when there is failure of acclimatisation to high altitude. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between physiological variables and the incidence of AMS during ascent to 5300 m. A total of 332 lowland-dwelling volunteers followed an identical ascent profile on staggered treks. Self-reported symptoms of AMS were recorded daily using the Lake Louise score (mild 3-4; moderate-severe ≥5), alongside measurements of physiological variables (heart rate, respiratory rate (RR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂ ) and blood pressure) before and after a standardised Xtreme Everest Step-Test (XEST). The overall occurrence of AMS among participants was 73.5% (23.2% mild, 50.3% moderate-severe). There was no difference in gender, age, previous AMS, weight or body mass index between participants who developed AMS and those who did not. Participants who had not previously ascended >5000 m were more likely to get moderate-to-severe AMS. Participants who suffered moderate-to-severe AMS had a lower resting SpO₂ at 3500 m (88.5 vs. 89.6%, p = 0.02), while participants who suffered mild or moderate-to-severe AMS had a lower end-exercise SpO₂ at 3500 m (82.2 vs. 83.8%, p = 0.027; 81.5 vs. 83.8%, p < 0.001 respectively). Participants who experienced mild AMS had lower end-exercise RR at 3500 m (19.2 vs. 21.3, p = 0.017). In a multi-variable regression model, only lower end-exercise SpO₂ (OR 0.870, p < 0.001) and no previous exposure to altitude >5000 m (OR 2.740, p-value 0.003) predicted the development of moderate-to-severe AMS. The Xtreme Everest Step-Test offers a simple, reproducible field test to help predict AMS, albeit with relatively limited predictive precision.

Keywords: altitude; altitude sickness; exercise; hypoxia.

FIGURE 1

The planned ascent profile for all participants. Daily ascent profile to altitude. In summary, participants went by airplane from Kathmandu (1300 m) to Lukla (2860 m), then ascended on foot. Rest days were inserted into the schedule to allow other experiments to be performed, and to reduce the anticipated incidence of AMS by allowing additional time for acclimatisation (Gilbert‐Kawai et al., 2015; Levett et al., 2010)

FIGURE 2

Flow diagram detailing the number of participants included in the final analysis. EBC, Everest Base Camp

FIGURE 3

Incidence of acute mountain sickness by trek day. LLS, Lake Louise score

FIGURE 4

Overall mean (±SEM) change in measured physiological variables in all participants during ascent to high altitude. Solid line = at rest, pre‐exercise; dotted line = at end of exercise. Blood pressure was only measured at rest, prior to exercise

FIGURE 5

Receiver operator characteristics curve for the moderate to severe AMS logistic regression model. Independent variables included: Resting SpO₂, end‐exercise SpO₂, resting respiratory rate, end‐exercise respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, delta heart rate and no previous altitude exposure >5000 m. Area under the curve = 0.735 (95% CI 0.667–0.804, p < 0.001)