Anxiety as a Risk Factor for Acute Mountain Sickness Among Young Chinese Men After Exposure at 3800 M: A cross‒sectional Study.

Purpose: We aimed to explore whether anxiety is a risk factor for acute mountain sickness [AMS] in a young Chinese male population.

Patients And Methods: A total of 143 young Chinese men with a median age of 23 years (IQR, 21-25) were employed in the present study, and they were divided into the AMS+ and AMS- groups according to the Lake Louise AMS score [AMS-S] after exposure at 3800 m for two days. Participants' pulse oximeter saturation [SpO] and heart rate [HR] were measured. AMS was evaluated using the AMS-S. The anxiety and sleep quality of the subjects were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale [SAS] and the Athens Insomnia Scale [AIS], respectively. Outcomes were analysed using Spearman's partial correlation and logistic regression analysis.

Results: After two days of exposure at 3800 m, the overall prevalence of AMS was 54% in the whole group. The HR was significantly higher in the AMS+ group than in the AMS- group, as well as the SAS score and AIS score. A converse pattern was observed for SpO. A significant difference was observed for the change in SAS and AIS score between the AMS+ and AMS- groups. Correlation analysis showed that AMS-S was positively correlated with SAS score, AIS score, HR, ΔSAS score, ΔAIS score, and ΔHR but negatively correlated with SpO. AIS score was positively correlated with SAS score. After logistic regression analysis was adjusted for HR, SpO, ΔAIS and ΔHR, SAS score (=1.446, 95% CI 1.200-1.744, p<0.001), AIS score (=1.216, 95% CI 1.033-1.432) and ΔSAS score (=1.158, 95% CI 1.012-1.327) were identified as independent risk factors for AMS.

Conclusion: The present study suggests that anxiety is a risk factor for AMS among young Chinese men, and poor sleep quality may partially mediate the association.