Adolescents with altitude: young people do well on Kilimanjaro

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 94; no. 7; pp. 562 - 563
• Main Authors: Stokes, S H M, Kalson, N S, Frost, H, Tyrrell-Marsh, I, Whitehead, A G, Davies, A, Earl, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01-07-2009; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Aged; Altitude; Altitude sickness; Altitude Sickness - epidemiology; Asthma; Child; Children; Children & youth; Comparative Analysis; Comparative studies; Diabetes; Diagnosis; Ethics; Female; Health aspects; Heart rate; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mountain sickness; Mountaineering; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Pulmonary edema; Risk factors; Tanzania - epidemiology; Teenagers; Travel; Young Adult; Young Adults; Youth; Tanzania
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.2008.151597

Children Adults p Value Min Max Mean SD Min Max Mean SD Arterial oxygen saturation 2700 m 94 97 95.7 1.0 83 99 94.1 6.1 0.02 4700 m 77 91 84.9 4.7 53 98 81.4 7.4 0.09 Heart rate 2700 m 71 111 90.5 14.5 51 130 84.8 13.8 0.14 4700 m 77 121 97.9 14.7 48 140 98.0 42.2 0.64 Respiratory rate 2700 m 14 24 18.8 3.0 9 27 17.8 7.1 0.08 4700 m 14 28 19.5 3.8 6 28 17.9 3.5 0.16 Mean arterial pressure 2700 m 71.2 95.3 79.5 21.7 55 137 92.4 26.6 0.01 4700 m 80 95 88.4 5.1 77 128 100.2 9.8 0.02 This research, the largest comparative study of children and adults at altitude, suggests older children are not at higher risk of altitude related disease than adults, and can cautiously enjoy high altitude adventure.