Clinical Trial: Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Right Ventricular Function in Lowlanders

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

Official Title: Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Right Ventricular Function in Lowlanders

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

Detailed Summary:

Low altitude baseline measurements 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 ALMA base camp located at 2900 m near San Pedro de Atacama, northern Chile. Participants will stay there for the next 7 nights and they will be spend the days (6-8 h daily) at the telescope station at 5050 m while undergoing physiological testing. Daily transports from 2900 to 5050 m will be by car (1 h ride, one way). After the first 7 day altitude sojourn participants will return to the Santiago area (520 m) for a 7 day recovery period.

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

Measurements on study subjects will be performed at baseline (lowland, Santiago de Chile), then at 2nd day of altitude exposure and 7th day at altitude before returning to lowland; those are repeated in the second altitude sojourn cycle. Measurements will be conducted by qualified specialists using a portable ultrasound device.


Sponsor: University of Zurich

Current Primary Outcome: Systolic pulmonary artery pressure measured by echocardiography [ Time Frame: [Time Frame: lowland baseline at 520m, day 2; first sojourn at 5050 m, day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050 m, day 2, 7] ]

Change in systolic pulmonary artery pressure over the course of high altitude exposure during 2 sojourns at 5050 m


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Indices of right ventricular dysfunction [ Time Frame: [Time Frame: lowland baseline at 520m, day 2; first sojourn at 5050 m, day 2, 7; sec ]

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