Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Nocturnal Breathing Pattern in Lowlanders

NCT02730143 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: REB15-2709_V1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 21
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating the effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure of high altitude on nocturnal breathing pattern.

Conditions

Effect of High Altitude

Keywords

Altitude; Nocturnal breathing pattern

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Mean nocturnal oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry

  Change in mean nocturnal oxygen saturation over the course of high altitude exposure during 2 sojourns at 5050 m compared to low altitude

  first sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; second sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, night 1

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Apnea-/hypopnea index measured by respiratory polygraphy

  first sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; second sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, night 1

• Oxygen desaturation index measured by respiratory polygraphy

  first sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; second sojourn at 5050 m, night 1, 6; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, night 1

• Acute mountain sickness measured by the Environmental Symptom questionnaire cerebral score (AMSc)

  first sojourn at 5050 m, day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m, day 2,7; low altitude sojourn at 520 m, day 2

Study Arms (1)

Altitude exposure

EXPERIMENTAL

Acute high altitude exposure followed by 8 day acclimatization and re-exposure after 6 days at low altitude

Other: Altitude exposure

Interventions

Altitude exposure OTHER

Altitude exposure

Altitude exposure

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• born, raised and currently living \<800m
• No overnight stay at altitudes \>1500 m 4 weeks before the study

You may not qualify if:

• Previous altitude intolerance to altitude \<3000 m
• Pregnancy
• Health impairment, which requires regular treatment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Zurich: lead
• University of Calgary: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Zurich

Zurich, 8091, Switzerland

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Waldner NF, Hartmann SE, Muralt L, Lichtblau M, Bader PR, Rawling JM, Lopez I, Ulrich S, Poulin MJ, Bloch KE, Furian M. Oxygen saturation and acute mountain sickness during repeated altitude exposures simulating high-altitude working schedules. Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 15;15(1):12987. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-97554-7.

  PMID: 40234589 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Konrad E Bloch, MD

  University of Zurich

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2016
• First Posted: April 6, 2016
• Study Start: April 4, 2016
• Primary Completion: May 7, 2016
• Study Completion: May 7, 2016
• Last Updated: November 13, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CH (1)