Operation Everest II: Spirometric and radiographic changes in acclimatized humans at simulated high altitudes

C. H. Welsh; P. D. Wagner; J. T. Reeves; D. Lynch; T. M. Cink; J. Armstrong; M. K. Malconian; P. B. Rock; C. S. Houston

doi:10.1164/ajrccm/147.5.1239

Operation Everest II: Spirometric and radiographic changes in acclimatized humans at simulated high altitudes

C. H. Welsh, P. D. Wagner, J. T. Reeves, D. Lynch, T. M. Cink, J. Armstrong, M. K. Malconian, P. B. Rock, C. S. Houston

Center for Aerospace and Hyperbaric Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

63 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report spirometry and radiographic data on eight normal male human subjects during prolonged graded altitude exposure to as high as 8,848 m above sea level in a hypobaric chamber. We found a significant and progressive drop in FVC by 14 ± 3% over 40 days, which resolved slowly during the first 48 h after descent. With altitude, midrange forced expiratory flow (FEF_25-75) increased by 82 ± 3%, probably because of reduced air density. FEV₁, however, did not change. Chest radiographs on subjects taken 2 h after descent to sea level showed a pattern of pulmonary artery enlargement and interstitial edema. These data suggest that increased pulmonary blood volume and edema may be causes of the restricted pulmonary function pattern.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1239-1244
Number of pages	6
Journal	American Review of Respiratory Disease
Volume	147
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm/147.5.1239
State	Published - 1993

Access to Document

10.1164/ajrccm/147.5.1239

Cite this

@article{bf766b8e81134606a17befaeea51cad2,

title = "Operation Everest II: Spirometric and radiographic changes in acclimatized humans at simulated high altitudes",

abstract = "We report spirometry and radiographic data on eight normal male human subjects during prolonged graded altitude exposure to as high as 8,848 m above sea level in a hypobaric chamber. We found a significant and progressive drop in FVC by 14 ± 3% over 40 days, which resolved slowly during the first 48 h after descent. With altitude, midrange forced expiratory flow (FEF25-75) increased by 82 ± 3%, probably because of reduced air density. FEV1, however, did not change. Chest radiographs on subjects taken 2 h after descent to sea level showed a pattern of pulmonary artery enlargement and interstitial edema. These data suggest that increased pulmonary blood volume and edema may be causes of the restricted pulmonary function pattern.",

author = "Welsh, {C. H.} and Wagner, {P. D.} and Reeves, {J. T.} and D. Lynch and Cink, {T. M.} and J. Armstrong and Malconian, {M. K.} and Rock, {P. B.} and Houston, {C. S.}",

year = "1993",

doi = "10.1164/ajrccm/147.5.1239",

language = "English",

volume = "147",

pages = "1239--1244",

journal = "American Review of Respiratory Disease",

issn = "0003-0805",

publisher = "American Thoracic Society",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Operation Everest II

T2 - Spirometric and radiographic changes in acclimatized humans at simulated high altitudes

AU - Welsh, C. H.

AU - Wagner, P. D.

AU - Reeves, J. T.

AU - Lynch, D.

AU - Cink, T. M.

AU - Armstrong, J.

AU - Malconian, M. K.

AU - Rock, P. B.

AU - Houston, C. S.

PY - 1993

Y1 - 1993

N2 - We report spirometry and radiographic data on eight normal male human subjects during prolonged graded altitude exposure to as high as 8,848 m above sea level in a hypobaric chamber. We found a significant and progressive drop in FVC by 14 ± 3% over 40 days, which resolved slowly during the first 48 h after descent. With altitude, midrange forced expiratory flow (FEF25-75) increased by 82 ± 3%, probably because of reduced air density. FEV1, however, did not change. Chest radiographs on subjects taken 2 h after descent to sea level showed a pattern of pulmonary artery enlargement and interstitial edema. These data suggest that increased pulmonary blood volume and edema may be causes of the restricted pulmonary function pattern.

AB - We report spirometry and radiographic data on eight normal male human subjects during prolonged graded altitude exposure to as high as 8,848 m above sea level in a hypobaric chamber. We found a significant and progressive drop in FVC by 14 ± 3% over 40 days, which resolved slowly during the first 48 h after descent. With altitude, midrange forced expiratory flow (FEF25-75) increased by 82 ± 3%, probably because of reduced air density. FEV1, however, did not change. Chest radiographs on subjects taken 2 h after descent to sea level showed a pattern of pulmonary artery enlargement and interstitial edema. These data suggest that increased pulmonary blood volume and edema may be causes of the restricted pulmonary function pattern.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027231660&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1164/ajrccm/147.5.1239

DO - 10.1164/ajrccm/147.5.1239

M3 - Article

C2 - 8484637

AN - SCOPUS:0027231660

SN - 0003-0805

VL - 147

SP - 1239

EP - 1244

JO - American Review of Respiratory Disease

JF - American Review of Respiratory Disease

IS - 5

ER -

Operation Everest II: Spirometric and radiographic changes in acclimatized humans at simulated high altitudes

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this