Elevated Perspectives: Unraveling Cardiovascular Dynamics in High-Altitude Realms.

High-altitude regions pose distinctive challenges for cardiovascular health because of decreased oxygen levels, reduced barometric pressure, and colder temperatures. Approximately 82 million people live above 2400 meters, while over 100 million people visit these heights annually. Individuals ascending rapidly or those with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions are particularly vulnerable to altitude-related illnesses, including Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and Chronic Mountain Sickness (CMS).

Can resting lung function predict the response of a person living with motor neuron disease to a hypoxic challenge test?

Objective: People living with MND (PlwMND) are at risk of altitude-related hypoxia during flight. The Hypoxic Challenge Test (HCT) determines whether in-flight oxygen is required but can be expensive and inaccessible. To assist with travel recommendations, we investigated the relationship between altitude simulation-induced hypoxemia and baseline lung function.

Altitude-related features and prognosis in patients with reversible splenial lesion syndrome.

Introduction: RESLES (Reversible splenial lesion syndrome) can be observed secondary to various diseases, and intramyelinic edema may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of SCC (Splenium of the corpus callosum). Some studies have suggested that hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy may constitute a risk factor for SCC lesions. However, the potential impact of high-altitude environments on SCC, especially during chronic exposure, remain obscure.

Expedition 5300: limits of human adaptations in the highest city in the world.

Exposure to chronic hypobaric hypoxia imposes a significant physiological burden to more than 80 million humans living above 2500 m throughout the world. Among them, 50 000 live in the world's highest city, La Rinconada, located at 5000-5300 m in southern Peru. Expedition 5300 is the first scientific and medical programme led in La Rinconada to investigate the physiological adaptations and altitude-related health issues in this unique population.

Altitude-Related Venous Thrombosis With Heart Disease: An Updated Review.

Altitude-related venous thrombosis (ARVT) is a condition of growing concern among individuals engaged in high-altitude travel and activities. This updated review explores the epidemiology, pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical presentations, and management of ARVT based on a thematic analysis and synthesis of the existing literature. ARVT's multifactorial etiology involves the interplay of hypobaric hypoxia and endothelial dysfunction, creating a procoagulant state and increasing the risk of thrombosis.

Exploring the elevation dynamics of rumen bacterial communities in Barn feeding cattle from 900 to 3,600 meters by full-length 16S sequencing.

The diversity and abundance of rumen microorganisms serve as indicators not only of the host's digestive and metabolic capacity but also of its health status. The complex microbial communities in the rumen are influenced to varying degrees by environmental adaptability. In this study, we collected 24 rumen fluid samples from 24 healthy male cattle in three regions of Yunnan, China.

Sex-related Differences in Loop Gain during High-Altitude Sleep-disordered Breathing.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is pervasive during sleep at high altitude, disproportionately impacting men and associated with increased peripheral chemosensitivity. We aimed to assess whether biological sex affects loop gain (LGn) and CSA severity during sleep over 9-10 days of acclimatization to 3,800 m. We hypothesized that CSA severity would worsen with acclimatization in men but not in women because of greater increases in LGn in men.

High Altitude Illness among Rapidly Ascending Pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar.

Background: High altitude pilgrims typically ascend rapidly, are not well prepared for the austere environment and tend to have multiple co-morbidities. Here, we list the trend of altitude and other illnesses who visited Humla district hospital (2,950 meters) following very rapid ascent to Kailash Mansarovar (4,500 meters).

Methods: A prospective study was conducted among 55 patients at the Humla District Hospital from September 2019 - August 2022.

Clinician's Corner: Counseling Patients with Pulmonary Vascular Disease Traveling to High Altitude.

Ulrich, Silvia, Mona Lichtblau, Simon R. Schneider, Stéphanie Saxer, and Konrad E. Bloch, Clinician's corner: counseling patients with pulmonary vascular disease traveling to high altitude.

Sexual Dimorphism of Dexamethasone as a Prophylactic Treatment in Pathologies Associated With Acute Hypobaric Hypoxia Exposure.

Dexamethasone can be taken prophylactically to prevent hypobaric hypoxia-associated disorders of high-altitude. While dexamethasone-mediated protection against high-altitude disorders has been clinically evaluated, detailed sex-based mechanistic insights have not been explored. As part of our India-Leh-Dexamethasone-expedition-2020 (INDEX 2020) programme, we examined the phenotype of control ( = 14) and dexamethasone ( = 13) groups, which were airlifted from Delhi (∼225 m elevation) to Leh, Ladakh (∼3,500 m), India, for 3 days.

Acetazolamide to Prevent Adverse Altitude Effects in COPD and Healthy Adults.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the efficacy of acetazolamide in preventing adverse altitude effects in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in healthy lowlanders 40 years of age or older. METHODS: Trial 1 was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-design trial in which 176 patients with COPD were treated with acetazolamide capsules (375 mg/day) or placebo, starting 24 hours before staying for 2 days at 3100 m. The mean (±SD) age of participants was 57±9 years, and 34% were women.