Archives of environmental health
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Arch. Environ. Health · Jul 1999
Exercise-induced cerebral deoxygenation among untrained trekkers at moderate altitudes.
The pathophysiology of altitude-related disorders in untrained trekkers has not been clarified. In the present study, the effects of workload on cardiovascular parameters and regional cerebral oxygenation were studied in untrained trekkers at altitudes of 2700 m and 3700 m above sea level. We studied 6 males and 4 females at each altitude, and their average ages were 31.3+/-7.1 y at 2700 m and 31.2+/-6.8 y at 3700 m, respectively. ⋯ The rSO2 measured 2 min and 3 min after exercise at 3700 m was significantly higher than the preexercise value. From these observations, we concluded that alterations in cardiovascular parameters were apparent only after an exercise load occurred at approximately 3000 m altitude. Acute reduction in cerebral regional oxygen saturation might be a primary cause of headache and acute mountain sickness among unacclimatized trekkers.