Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study

Xiao-Han Ding; Ji-Hang Zhang; Bin Cui; Lan Huang

doi:10.1186/2054-9369-1-18

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Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study

RESEARCH | Updated：2026-03-12

- Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study
- Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study
- MMR 2014年1卷第2期页码：84-88
- Affiliations：
  
  Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of PLA; Department of Cardiology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Author bio：
  
  *: huanglan260@126.com
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1186/2054-9369-1-18
  中图分类号：
- 纸质出版：2014-06
- Accepted：
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Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study[J]. MMR, 2014,1(2):84-88.

Ding et al.: Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study. Mil Med Res 2014, 1: 18
Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study[J]. MMR, 2014,1(2):84-88. DOI： 10.1186/2054-9369-1-18.

Ding et al.: Relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and acute mountain sickness: A field study. Mil Med Res 2014, 1: 18 DOI： 10.1186/2054-9369-1-18.

摘要

Abstract

Background:

Alterations in hematology

especially erythroid changes

may be involved in acute mountain sickness (AMS) at high altitude. This study aimed to identify the relationship between excessive erythrocytosis and AMS following different durations of high-altitude exposure.

Methods:

A total of 692 healthy young Chinese men were recruited for the study in June and July of 2012 and were divided into the following five groups: I) the 24-h group (24 hours after arrival at Lhasa

700 m

=261); II) the 7-d group (exposed at Lhasa

700 m for seven days

=99); III) the re-exposure group (re-exposed at Yang Bajing

400 m for seven days after

1 year of acclimation at 3

700 m

=94); IV) the acclimated group (

1 year of acclimation at 3

700 m

Lhasa

=42); and V) the sea-level control (control group

Chengdu

=196). Case report forms were used to record the subjects’ demographic information and AMS-related symptoms. All of the subjects underwent routine blood tests.

Results:

The red blood cell (RBC) count fell slightly but was not significant upon acute exposure to high altitude

whereas the hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) increased significantly. After high-altitude re-exposure

both of the [Hb]

and RBC count showed significant increases. The incidence of AMS was 65.1%

26.3% and 51.1%

respectively in the 24-h

7-d and re-exposure groups. The [Hb] (

=0.024) and hematocrit (

=0.017) were greater in the AMS

individuals than in the AMS

–

individuals in 7-d group. A correlation analysis revealed that the [Hb] and hematocrit were closely related with AMS score in 7-d and re-exposure groups

while the RBC showed a correlation with AMS score only in the re-exposure group. The AMS incidence was lowest when the [Hb]

was between 140 and 160 g/L in the 24-h and 7-d groups.

Conclusions:

AMS is associated with both [Hb] and excessive erythrocytosis. Additionally

our findings indicate the existence of an optimal [Hb] for preventing AMS.

关键词

Keywords

references

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