October 26, 2010The FASEB Journal
Cardiac response to hypobaric hypoxia: persistent changes in cardiac mass, function, and energy metabolism after a trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp
Why the study?
Does exposure to hypobaric hypoxia alter cardiac mass, function, and energy metabolism in healthy volunteers?
Population
14 healthy volunteers
Comparison
17-day trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp exposing… vs Pre-trek baseline measurements
Design
Cohort
Follow-up
Within 4 days of return and at 6 months
Authors
Discussion
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Implication
Hypoxia-linked cardiac changes in healthy trekkers should not alter practice; hypothesis-generating for effects in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Structured PICO
Does exposure to hypobaric hypoxia alter cardiac mass, function, and energy metabolism in healthy volunteers?
P
Population
14 healthy volunteers
I
Intervention
17-day trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp (5300 m) exposing subjects to hypobaric hypoxia
C
Comparator
Pre-trek baseline measurements
O
Outcome
Changes in cardiac mass, function, and energy metabolism (cardiac PCr/ATP) measured by 31P MR spectroscopy, MR imaging, and echocardiographysurrogate
Sustained hypobaric hypoxia induces reversible reductions in cardiac mass, diastolic function, and myocardial energetics in healthy individuals.
Limitations
- Unknown whether abnormalities were even greater at altitude
Cite This Study
Holloway et al. (2010) studied this question.