Obesity: associations with acute mountain sickness

Obesity: associations with acute mountain sickness

Although few retrospective studies of high altitude have reported that obesity might be associated with the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS), this association has not been studied prospectively. To determine whether obesity is associated with the development of AMS. Obese and nonobese me...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of internal medicine Vol. 139; no. 4; pp. 253 - 257
Main Authors: Ri-Li, Ge, Chase, Paul J, Witkowski, Sarah, Wyrick, Brenda L, Stone, Jeff A, Levine, Benjamin D, Babb, Tony G
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States American College of Physicians 19-08-2003
Subjects:
Adult
Altitude Sickness - blood
Altitude Sickness - complications
Analysis of Variance
Disease Susceptibility
Humans
Male
Medical disorders
Mountain climbing
Obesity
Obesity - complications
Oxygen - blood
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Space life sciences
Non-programmatic
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Summary:Although few retrospective studies of high altitude have reported that obesity might be associated with the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS), this association has not been studied prospectively. To determine whether obesity is associated with the development of AMS. Obese and nonobese men were compared at a simulated altitude of 3658 m (12 000 ft). 24 hours in a hypobaric environmental chamber. 9 obese and 10 nonobese men. Percentage body fat (by hydrostatic weighing), Lake Louise AMS score, and Sao2 level (by pulse oximetry) were measured. Average AMS scores increased more rapidly with time spent at simulated high altitudes for obese men than for nonobese men (P < 0.001). The response of Sao2 with exposure differed between nonobese and obese men. After 24 hours in the altitude chamber, seven obese men (78%) and four nonobese men (40%) had AMS scores of 4 or more. Obesity seems to be associated with the development of AMS, which may be partly related to greater nocturnal desaturation with altitude exposure.
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ISSN:0003-4819
1539-3704
DOI:10.7326/0003-4819-139-4-200308190-00007