Microcirculatory and Rheological Adaptive Mechanisms at High Altitude in European Lowlander Hikers and Nepalese Highlanders.
acute mountain sickness
blood viscosity
cardiovascular risk
chronic mountain sickness
erythrocyte deformability
haemorheology
high altitude
microcirculation
Journal
Journal of clinical medicine
ISSN: 2077-0383
Titre abrégé: J Clin Med
Pays: Switzerland
ID NLM: 101606588
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
14 Apr 2023
14 Apr 2023
Historique:
received:
08
03
2023
revised:
07
04
2023
accepted:
10
04
2023
medline:
28
4
2023
pubmed:
28
4
2023
entrez:
28
4
2023
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Physical activity at high-altitudes is increasingly widespread, both for tourist trekking and for the growing tendency to carry out sports and training activities at high-altitudes. Acute exposure to this hypobaric-hypoxic condition induces several complex adaptive mechanisms involving the cardiovascular, respiratory and endocrine systems. A lack of these adaptive mechanisms in microcirculation may cause the onset of symptoms of acute mountain sickness, a frequent disturbance after acute exposure at high altitudes. The aim of our study was to evaluate the microcirculatory adaptive mechanisms at different altitudes, from 1350 to 5050 m a.s.l., during a scientific expedition in the Himalayas. The main haematological parameters, blood viscosity and erythrocyte deformability were assessed at different altitudes on eight European lowlanders and on a group of eleven Nepalese highlanders. The microcirculation network was evaluated in vivo by conjunctival and periungual biomicroscopy. Europeans showed a progressive and significant reduction of blood filterability and an increase of whole blood viscosity which correlate with the increase of altitude ( High altitude causes important and significant microcirculatory adaptations. These changes in microcirculation induced by hypobaric-hypoxic conditions should be considered when planning training and physical activity at altitude.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Physical activity at high-altitudes is increasingly widespread, both for tourist trekking and for the growing tendency to carry out sports and training activities at high-altitudes. Acute exposure to this hypobaric-hypoxic condition induces several complex adaptive mechanisms involving the cardiovascular, respiratory and endocrine systems. A lack of these adaptive mechanisms in microcirculation may cause the onset of symptoms of acute mountain sickness, a frequent disturbance after acute exposure at high altitudes. The aim of our study was to evaluate the microcirculatory adaptive mechanisms at different altitudes, from 1350 to 5050 m a.s.l., during a scientific expedition in the Himalayas.
METHODS
METHODS
The main haematological parameters, blood viscosity and erythrocyte deformability were assessed at different altitudes on eight European lowlanders and on a group of eleven Nepalese highlanders. The microcirculation network was evaluated in vivo by conjunctival and periungual biomicroscopy.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Europeans showed a progressive and significant reduction of blood filterability and an increase of whole blood viscosity which correlate with the increase of altitude (
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
High altitude causes important and significant microcirculatory adaptations. These changes in microcirculation induced by hypobaric-hypoxic conditions should be considered when planning training and physical activity at altitude.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37109209
pii: jcm12082872
doi: 10.3390/jcm12082872
pmc: PMC10144116
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Références
Am J Cardiol. 1969 Mar;23(3):369-78
pubmed: 5777686
Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2009;42(2):75-97
pubmed: 19433882
N Engl J Med. 1970 Jul 23;283(4):183-6
pubmed: 4987394
Lancet. 1976 Nov 27;2(7996):1149-55
pubmed: 62991
Int J Sports Med. 1992 Oct;13 Suppl 1:S52-4
pubmed: 1483791
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2018 Dec 1;315(6):H1532-H1543
pubmed: 30168724
J Physiol. 2020 Sep;598(18):4121-4130
pubmed: 32445208
Biorheology. 1983;20(3):311-6
pubmed: 6626715
Exp Physiol. 2010 Aug;95(8):880-91
pubmed: 20418348
Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper. 1983 Dec 30;59(12):1819-24
pubmed: 6671041
Circulation. 1963 Nov;28:915-25
pubmed: 14079195
Pediatrics. 1964 Oct;34:568-82
pubmed: 14212475
J Physiol. 2019 May;597(10):2623-2638
pubmed: 30843200
Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper. 1983 Dec 30;59(12):1807-11
pubmed: 6671039
Lancet. 1978 Oct 28;2(8096):938
pubmed: 81945
Crit Care. 2007;11(1):203
pubmed: 17291330
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2011 Aug;111(2):382-91
pubmed: 21551009
Int J Sports Med. 1992 Oct;13 Suppl 1:S54-8
pubmed: 1483792
Am J Pathol. 1964 Sep;45:381-91
pubmed: 14212805
Am J Cardiol. 1963 Feb;11:143-9
pubmed: 13992990
Thorax. 1983 Sep;38(9):646-56
pubmed: 6623417
Exp Physiol. 2018 Nov;103(11):1494-1504
pubmed: 30182473
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2018 Sep 1;125(3):780-789
pubmed: 29927733
Chest. 1993 Jan;103(1):111-6
pubmed: 8417862
Sci Rep. 2019 Oct 7;9(1):14391
pubmed: 31591502
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017 Apr 1;122(4):1011-1018
pubmed: 28126908
Clin Nephrol. 1985 Feb;23(2):68-73
pubmed: 3987101
J Clin Invest. 1969 May;48(5):795-809
pubmed: 4388591
Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2014;58(4):479-88
pubmed: 23514970
J Clin Pathol. 1976 Sep;29(9):855-8
pubmed: 977787
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009 Jun;106(3):473-8
pubmed: 19333616
Am J Med. 1970 Aug;49(2):147-50
pubmed: 4247635