Key Diagnostic & Therapeutic Technologies for Severe Acute High Altitude Disease (SAHAD): Integration and Application

Patients are defined as recovered only when all of the following criteria are met simultaneously:

Resolution of clinical symptoms: complete relief of dyspnea (no shortness of breath at rest), disappearance of cough and expectoration, and resolution of chest tightness or chest pain.

Restoration of normal physical signs: complete disappearance of lung crackles, resolution of cyanosis, and heart rate < 100 beats per minute at rest.

Normalization of physiological parameters: blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂) ≥ 90% above 3500 m altitude (≥ 88% above 4000 m altitude) and normal arterial blood gas analysis (if performed).

Improvement on imaging studies: clear bilateral lung fields on chest X-ray, and resolution of alveolar exudation without significant effusion on chest CT.

Meeting hospital discharge criteria: stable condition for more than 48 hours, recovery of self-care ability, and no requirement for continuous oxygen therapy.

Patients are defined as recovered only when all of the following criteria are met simultaneously:

Recovery of consciousness: Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 15, full restoration of orientation, and no signs of impaired consciousness.

Resolution of neurological symptoms: complete relief of headache, and disappearance of ataxia, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and other related symptoms.

Normal neurological signs: disappearance of pathological reflexes, negative meningeal irritation signs, and normal cranial nerve function.

Improvement on imaging: resolution of cerebral edema, no mass effect, and normal ventricular system on head CT or MRI.

Meeting hospital discharge criteria: stable condition for more than 72 hours, recovery of activities of daily living, and no requirement for special monitoring.

Death is defined as all-cause mortality occurring during hospitalization, or all-cause mortality within 30 days and 90 days after discharge.

From the first day of admission to the day of discharge

Clinical symptoms improved by ≥50%, manifested as significant relief of dyspnea (no shortness of breath during mild activity), marked reduction in cough and expectoration, and alleviation of chest discomfort.

Physiological indicators improved, including a decrease in heart rate by ≥20 beats per minute from baseline, an increase in blood oxygen saturation by ≥5% compared with admission, and a respiratory rate < 24 breaths per minute.

Imaging examinations showed a ≥50% reduction in pulmonary exudation on chest radiograph compared with admission, or a significant reduction in lesion extent on chest CT.

From the first day of admission to the day of discharge

Duration of mechanical ventilation, calculated in hours

total expenses incurred during hospitalization

Duration of oxygen therapy during hospitalization (days)

such as pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, infection, etc

A patient is defined as having "improved" if meeting the following core criteria:

Improved consciousness: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score increased by ≥3 points from admission, partial recovery of orientation, and improved response to stimuli.

Improved neurological symptoms: ≥50% reduction in headache severity (VAS score), significant improvement in ataxia, and decreased nausea and vomiting.

Improved physiological indicators: heart rate decreased by ≥15 beats per minute from baseline, blood oxygen saturation increased by ≥5% compared with admission, and blood pressure controlled within the normal range.

such as seizures, intracranial infection, brain herniation, permanent neurological deficit

specifically categorized as: 0 (no symptoms),

• (no significant disability),
• (slight disability),
• (moderate disability),
• (moderately severe disability),
• (severe disability), and 6 (death).