Smoking, acute mountain sickness and altitude acclimatisation: a cohort study.

Rationale: The relationship between cigarette smoking and acute mountain sickness (AMS) is not clear.

Objective: To assess AMS risk and altitude acclimatisation in relation to smoking.

Methods: 200 healthy non-smokers and 182 cigarette smokers were recruited from Han lowland workers.

Who are more at risk for acute mountain sickness: a prospective study in Qinghai-Tibet railroad construction workers on Mt. Tanggula.

Background: It is important to determine the incidence of acute mountain sickness (AMS) among workers at altitudes between 3500 m and 5000 m on Mt. Tanggula during the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railroad. This study explored the risk factors predisposing workers to developing AMS and attempted to develop more effective ways of preventing and treating AMS.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms associated with susceptibility to high altitude pulmonary edema in Chinese railway construction workers at Qinghai-Tibet over 4 500 meters above sea level.

Objective: To examine whether the polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene are associated with the susceptibility to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) in Chinese railway construction workers at Qinghai-Tibet where the altitude is over 4 500 m above sea level.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted including 149 HAPE patients in the construction workers and 160 healthy controls randomly recruited from their co-workers, matching the patients in ethnicity, age, sex, lifestyle, and working conditions. Three polymorphisms of eNOS gene, T-786C in promoter, 894G/T in exon 7, and 27bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) in intron 4, were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confirmed with DNA sequencing.

Altitude illness in Qinghai–Tibet railroad passengers.

It takes ≈24 h to travel the ≈3000-km-long Qinghai–Tibet railroad of which 85% is situated above 4000 m with a pass at 5072 m. Each year about 2 million passengers are rapidly exposed to high altitude traveling on this train. The aim of this study was to quantify the occurrence of altitude illness on the train.

Reduced incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness in Qinghai-Tibet railroad construction workers after repeated 7-month exposures despite 5-month low altitude periods.

The construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railroad provided a unique opportunity to study the relation between intermittent altitude exposure and acute mountain sickness (AMS). For 5 yr, workers spent 7-month periods at altitude interspaced with 5-month periods at sea level; the incidence, severity, and risk factors of AMS were prospectively investigated. Six hundred lowlanders commuted for 5 yr between near sea level and approximately 4500 m and were compared to 600 other lowland workers, recruited each year upon their first ascent to high altitude as newcomers, and to 200 Tibetan workers native to approximately 4500 m.

Genetic interaction of Hsp70 family genes polymorphisms with high-altitude pulmonary edema among Chinese railway constructors at altitudes exceeding 4000 meters.

Background: High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is thought of as an independent clinical disorder with a constitutional or genetic component in its etiology. We focused on 5 common polymorphisms within HSPA1A (rs1043618 and rs1008438), HSPA1B (rs1061581 and rs539689) and HSPA1L (rs2227956) of Hsp70 family to explore their potential interaction upon susceptibility to HAPE in Chinese.

Methods: A total of 148 HAPE patients and 483 matched controls were recruited during the construction of Qinghai-Tibet railway from 2001 to 2006.

Who should not go high: chronic disease and work at altitude during construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railroad.

From 2001 to 2005, a new railroad linking Beijing with Lhasa was built by more than 100,000 workers, of whom 80% traveled from their lowland habitat to altitudes up to 5000 m to work on the railroad. We report on the medical conditions of 14,050 of these altitude workers, specifically with regard to preexisting illness. All subjects were seen at low and high altitude.

High-altitude gastrointestinal bleeding: an observation in Qinghai-Tibetan railroad construction workers on Mountain Tanggula.

Aim: To investigate the gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in people from lowland to high altitude and in workers on Mountain Tanggula and its causes as well as treatment and prophylaxis.

Methods: From 2001 to October 2003, we studied GIB in 13502 workers constructing the railroad on Mountain Tanggula which is 4905 m above the sea level. The incidence of GIB in workers at different altitudes was recorded.

[A study of high altitude environment affecting on worker's health during the constructing Qinghai-Xizang railway].

Objective: To study high altitude environment affecting on worker's health

Methods: Using the cohort study, the altitude reaction was investigated and the WBC, RBC, Hb and oxygenation indexes were measured on workers in several periods, namely, acclimatization period, initially arrived high altitude and resident 90 days.

Results: The 83.3% of men had altitude reactions with different kinds at initially arrived high altitude.