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- Title
Glucocorticoids as prophylaxis against acute mountain sickness.
- Authors
Basu, M.; Sawhney, R. C.; Kumar, Surender; Pal, K.; Prasad, R.; Selvamurthy, W.
- Abstract
Summary Objective Acute mountain sickness (AMS) characterized by presence of symptoms including headache, nausea, excessive fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability and insomnia is a major impediment to work performance in human subjects who are rapidly inducted to high altitude (HA) during the initial phase of induction. The present study aims at to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic administration of low dose glucocorticoids in prevention of AMS in normal healthy men who are inducted to HA by air. Design Fifty healthy men were randomly divided into five groups of 10 each. Group I received prednisolone (Pred) 10 mg, Group II Pred 20 mg, Group III Pred 40 mg, Group IV dexamethasone 0·5 mg, Group V received placebo once a day in the morning for 2 days at sea level (SL) and for 3 days on arrival at an altitude of 3450 m by air. Measurements The severity of AMS was assessed using Lake Louise AMS scoring system. Physiological parameters like blood pressure, respiratory rate, peripheral blood O2 saturation and heart rate were measured at sea level and on arrival at HA. Circulatory levels of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoradiometreic assay (IRMA), respectively. Results In the placebo group, significant AMS could be detected at 12 h of arrival at HA, peaked by day 1 or 2 of stay and started declining thereafter. As compared to the placebo group, the steroid treated groups showed a significant (P < 0·01) reduction in daily AMS score. When compared with prednisolone 10 mg, 40 mg and dexamethasone groups, the prednisolone 20 mg group showed an optimal response in reduction of AMS symptoms. The O2 saturation showed a significant decline (P < 0·001) on arrival at HA, but the pattern of O2 saturation in placebo and glucocorticoid groups was identical. Similarly, the rise in heart rate and blood pressure and on day 3 of stay at HA was similar in placebo and...
- Subjects
GLUCOCORTICOIDS; MOUNTAIN sickness; PREVENTION
- Publication
Clinical Endocrinology, 2002, Vol 57, Issue 6, p761
- ISSN
0300-0664
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1365-2265.2002.01664.x