Analysis of risk factors of pulmonary hypertension in healthy Chinese young males after rapid ascent to high altitude / 军事医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the risk factors of pulmonary hypertension (PH) after rapid ascent to high altitude in healthy young Chinese men .Methods A total of 552 non high altitude natives ( healthy young Chinese men ) were recruited in the study between June to August in 2012.The subjects were delivered to high altitude (3700 m) in 2 h by plane from low altitude (450 m).Demographic data including smoking , alcohol consumption , high altitude exposure histo-ry, body mass index (BMI) and age were collected within 24 h after arrival at 3700 m.Furthermore, the oxygen saturation ( SaO2 ) , blood pressure , heart rate , pulmonary artery systolic pressure were measured using the echocardiography system . Analysis of risk factors of PH was performed by logistic regressions .Results The incidence of PH was 23.10%.SaO2 was significantly lower in the higher-pulmonary artery systolic pressure group (higher-PASP)[(86.10 ±3.34)%] than that in the normal-PASP group [(89.09 ±2.65)%, P<0.01].Smoking, alcohol consumption, high altitude exposure history, BMI, age, systolic blood pressure , diastolic blood pressure , heart rate were not significantly different between the two groups mentioned above .Logistic regressions revealed that lower SaO 2 (OR0.711,95% CI0.647-0.782, P<0.01) was an independent risks factor of PH .Conclusion Low SaO2 is an independent risk factor of PH upon rapid arrival at 3700 m in healthy young Chinese men .However, smoking, alcohol consumption , high altitude exposure history , BMI, age, blood pressure and heart rate are not risk of PH .These observations will provide valuable clues to theoretical studies on PH and prevention of PH .