Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT02730182

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

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

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Effect of High Altitude Altitude Sickness Respiration Disorders Respiratory Tract Diseases

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Zurich

Zurich, 8091, Switzerland

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • born, raised and currently living <800m
  • No overnight stay at altitudes >1500 m 4 weeks before the study

Exclusion criteria

  • Previous altitude intolerance to altitude <3000 m
  • Pregnancy
  • Health impairment, which requires regular treatment

Treatment and study plan

Altitude exposure

Other

altitude exposure

Primary outcomes

  1. 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.

Secondary outcomes

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Zurich

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2016
Study completion
2016
First posted
Apr 6, 2016
Registry last updated
Jan 17, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.