In the present issue of the European Respiratory Journal, BERGER et al. [1] report the lack of efficacy of inhaled budesonide for the prevention of acute mountain sickness (AMS). This small well-designed study was undertaken to verify or refute the provocative finding of robust protection with budesonide against AMS reported by Chinese colleagues in 2014 [2] and 2015 [3]. In the presently repor...

We investigated the incidence of AMS amongst a general population of trekkers on Mount Kilimanjaro, using the Lake Louise consensus scoring system (LLS). Additionally we examined the effect of prophylactic acetazolamide and different ascent profiles. Climbers on 3 different ascent itineraries were recruited. At 2743 m we recruited 177 participants (mean age 31, range [18-71]) who completed LLS ...

The Chinese AMS score (CAS) is used in clinical medicine and research to diagnosis acute mountain sickness (AMS). However, the Lake Louise Score (LLS) is the well-accepted standard for diagnosing AMS. The difference between the CAS and LLS questionnaires is that the CAS considers more nonspecific symptoms. The aim of the present study was to evaluate differences in AMS prevalence according to t...

For many low-altitude (<1500 m) residents, their travel itineraries may cause them to ascend rapidly to high (>2400 m) altitudes without having the time to develop an adequate degree of altitude acclimatization. Prior to departing on these trips, low-altitude residents can induce some degree of altitude acclimatization by ascending to moderate (>1500 m) or high altitudes during either continuou...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the Sharpened Romberg Test (SRT) as a measure of ataxia in subjects with mild acute mountain sickness in order to determine its sensitivity and specificity. METHODS The SRT was performed in 23 subjects during ascent to 5260 m. RESULTS The SRT was more often abnormal than the traditional heel-to-toe test, and at the highest altitude it was related to higher median Lake ...

OBJECTIVES To compare a range of physiological responses to acute sea level hypoxia at simulated altitudes with the same physiological responses and acute mountain sickness (AMS) scores measured at altitude (similar to the simulated altitudes) during a 17 day trek in the Himalayas. METHODS Twenty men and women aged 18-54 years took part in the study. End tidal CO(2) tension (PETCO(2)) and sat...

1269 Reproducibility of individual response to exposure to high altitude The response of people who live at sea level to the low oxygen concentrations at high altitude varies widely. Some people are relatively unaffected while others suffer severe acute mountain sickness.' Anecdotal reports and experiments in decompression chambers have indicated that responses to high altitude are reproducible...

Methods for measuring the ventilatory response to hypoxia (HVR) are reviewed. The criteria for success as a high altitude mountaineer are defined as freedom from acute mountain sickness (AMS) and ability to perform well at extreme altitude. The evidence for a brisk HVR being protective against AMS and associated with successful high altitude performance is reviewed. The contrary evidence of blu...

BACKGROUND Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is commonly found among people traveling above 2500 m. We investigated whether the occurrence of AMS is related to differences in individual physical fitness and BMI in subjects 11-13 years of age. METHODS This study was conducted at Xue Mountain, Taiwan (elevation of 3886 m) between June 13, 2011 and June 17, 2011. Subjects were asked to ascend from T...