Change of heart function and its relationship with AMS during acute high-altitude exposure at 3658 m in Chongqing soldiers / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To observe the cardiac function during high-altitude exposure in Chongqing soldiers and to discuss its relationship with acute mountain sickness ( AMS ) by echocardiography .METHODS: The changes of heart function were evaluated during acute high-altitude exposure (3658 m, 3 d) in 42 healthy young male soldiers by echocar-diography.At the same time, the heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, and the incidence of AMS after high-altitude exposure were observed and recorded .RESULTS:Three days after arrival at 3658 m, the left atrial end-systolic dimension (LADs), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVDd) and right atrial end-systolic dimension were signifi-cantly decreased , but the right ventricular outflow tract diameter , pulmonary artery dimension , ejection fraction , cardiac output (CO), pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure were significantly in-creased compared with the baseline levels in all subjects .The mitral peak E velocity was significantly reduced (P<0.05). A total of 42 healthy young men were recruited and divided into AMS group with 15 subjects and non-AMS group with 27 subjects by Lake Louise scoring after high-altitude exposure .The cardiac function in the plain showed that aortic sinus di-ameter and LVDd in AMS group were significantly smaller , and PASP was significantly higher than those in non-AMS group.After high-altitude exposure, the LADs in AMS group was significantly smaller than that in non-AMS group (P<0.05).AMS scores and CO in the plain showed significant negative correlation (r=-0.3814, P<0.05).CONCLU-SIONUpon acute high-altitude exposure , right ventricular functions of the young male soldiers are damaged with the com-pensation of the left ventricular functions .Using echocardiography to observe PASP and CO may be helpful for screening the susceptible people of AMS in the plain .