Exhaled nitric oxide decreases upon acute exposure to high-altitude hypoxia

Author:

Brown, Daniel E., Beall, Cynthia M., Strohl. Kingman P., Mills, Phoebe S.

Title:

Exhaled nitric oxide decreases upon acute exposure to high-altitude hypoxia

Periodical:

American Journal of Human Biology

Year:

2006

Volume:

18

Pages:

196-202

Subject:

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) Altitude hypoxia Altitude mountain sickness (AMS)

Summary:

This study was designed to test the hypotheses that pulmonary Nitric Oxide (NO), decreases upon acute exposure to high-altitude hypoxia. It was also designed to test the hypotheses that relatively low levels of NO at altitude are associated with greater stress as reflected in more symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS). As a result, a group of 47 adults who were primarily the faculty or staff of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, volunteered to participate in this study. This group was made up of nonsmokers who lived and worked at sea level. They were tested for measurements of exhaled NO, oxygen saturation of hemoglobin, heart rate, and symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), at the 2800 meter level, and at 0-, 2-, and 3-hour exposure times at the 4200 meter elevation of Mauna Kea, on the island of Hawaii. Following this extensive study, the results showed that acute exposure to high-altitude hypoxia for 3 hours causes a decrease in exhaled pulmonary NO that is recovered immediately upon return to sea level and that the level of exhaled pulmonary NO or of oxygen saturation at altitude was not significantly associated with the development of self-reported symptoms of AMS.

Label:

Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS)

URL:

http://cletus.uhh.hawaii.edu:2074/10.1002/ajhb.20489

Date:

March/April 2006

Collection:

Periodicals