Clinical Trial: Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Postural Control in Lowlanders

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Postural Control in Lowlanders

Brief Summary: Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating the effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure to high altitude on postural control

Detailed Summary:

Baseline measurements including the assessment of the center of pressure during 30s, the cerebral oxygen saturation and a sharpened Romberg test will be performed in Santiago de Chile, 520 m, over the course of 3 days. Participants will then travel by commercial airline (5 h flight) and by bus (3 h ride) to the base camp of the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope station located at 2900 m near San Pedro de Atacama, northern Chile. Participants will stay there for the next 8 nights and they will be spend the days (6-8 h daily) at the telescope station at 5050 m while undergoing testing as described above at the first and the last day at 5050m. Daily transports from 2900 to 5050 m will be by car (1 h ride, one way). After the first 8 day altitude sojourn participants will return to the Santiago area (520 m) for a 6 day recovery period.

A second altitude sojourn with an identical schedule as the one described above and a final low altitude stay of 3 days will follow.


Sponsor: University of Zurich

Current Primary Outcome: Center of pressure path length measured by Wii-balance board [ Time Frame: Low altitude sojourn at 520 m; first sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7 ]

Changes in center of pressure path length during the 2 sojourns at 5050 m and compared to lowland.


Original Primary Outcome: Center of pressure path length measured by Wii-balace board [ Time Frame: Low altitude sojourn at 520 m; first sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7 ]

Changes in center of pressure path length during the 2 sojourns at 5050 m and compared to lowland.


Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Cerebral tissue oxygen saturation measured by near infrared spectroscopy [ Time Frame: Low altitude sojourn at 520 m; first sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7 ]
    Changes in cerebral oxygen saturation during the 2 sojourns at 5050 m and compared to lowland.
  • Postural stability measured by sharpened Romberg-test and heel-to-toe walk [ Time Frame: Low altitude sojourn at 520 m; first sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m Day 2, 7 ]
    Changes in postural stability during the 2 sojourns at 5050 m and compared to lowland.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: University of Zurich

Dates:
Date Received: March 31, 2016
Date Started: March 2016
Date Completion: December 2018
Last Updated: May 23, 2017
Last Verified: May 2017