Changes in plasma electrolytes during acclimatisation at high altitude

ABSTRACT

The effects on plasma electrolytes and related hormones were determined in non-acclimatized low lander males, exposed for 96 hours to an altitude of 4424 meters. Twenty healthy soldiers aged 18-34 years travelled by road from an altitude of 2303 meters to 4424 meters over a period of 10 hours. Plasma sodium levels [142.09 +/- 1.14 mmol/l] and aldosterone [16.61 +/- 5.70 ng/ml] decreased to 139.69 mmol/l and 11.6 +/- 4.60 ug/mI respectively after 96 hours of acute expoure to high altitude [p<0.05]. The plasma potassium and chloride levels did not show significant change, while, plasma HCO3 decreased gradually from 21.06 +/- 1.38 mmol/l to 18.55 +/- 0.82 mmol/l after 96 hours exposure to this altitude [p<0.01]. The plasma ionized calcium and plasma phosphate concentration decreased from 1.32 +/- 0.11 mmol/l and 1.58 +/- 1.3 mmol/l to 1.20 +/- 0.05 mmol/l and 1.47 +/- 0.99 mmol/l respectively [p<0.05]. Plasma parathyroid hormone [PTH] level increased from 4.54 +/- 2.1 ng/ml to 11.19 +/- 4.31 ng/ml after 48 hours with subsequent decline to 2.52 +/- 1.7 ng/ml after 96 hours exposure to high altitude. It maybe concluded that the process of acclimatization to sudden exposure to high altitude is characterised by fall in plasma aldosterone and PTH with subsequent decrease of related electrolytes