Karen Sánchez, Lenin Ramírez‑Cando, Wilfre Machado, AnitaVillafuerte, Santiago Ballaz
Yachay University for Experimental Technology and Research. Hospital Claudio Benati. Universidad Espíritu Santo.
Ecuador
Scientific Reports
Sci Rep 2022; 12:
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25040-5
Abstract
Ascent to high altitude (> 3000 m height above sea level or m.a.s.l) exposes people to hypobaric atmospheric pressure and hypoxemia, which provokes mountain sickness and whose symptoms vary from the mild acute mountain sickness to the life-threatening, high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). This study analysed the risk factors underlying HAPE in dwellers and travellers of the Ecuadorian Andes after sojourning over 3000 m height. A group of HAPE patients (N = 58) was compared to a NO HAPE group (N = 713), through demographic (ethnicity, sex, and age), red blood cell parameters (erythrocytes counts, hematocrit, median corpuscular volume, median corpuscular haemoglobin, and median corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC)), altitude (threshold: 3000 m.a.s.l.), and health status (vital signs) variables. Analysis of Deviance for Generalised Linear Model Fits (logit regression) revealed patterns of significant associations. High-altitude dwellers, particularly children and elder people, were HAPE-prone, while women were more tolerant of HAPE than men. Interestingly, HAPE prevalence was strongly related to an increment of MCH. The residence at middle altitude was inversely related to the odds of suffering HAPE. Ethnicity did not have a significant influence in HAPE susceptibility. Elevated MCHC emerges like a blood adaptation of Andean highlanders to high altitude and biomarker of HAPE risk.
Category
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema
Potential Biomarkers Associated with Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Age Focus: Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease or Adult Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Fresh or Filed Publication: Filed (PHiled). Greater than 1-2 years since publication
Article Access
Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: Yes