Chest ACCP Education Calendar
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Article Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Muza, S. R.
Right arrow Articles by Roach, J. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Muza, S. R.
Right arrow Articles by Roach, J. M.
(Chest. 1996;110:946-951.)
© 1996 American College of Chest Physicians

Urinary Leukotriene E4 Levels Increase Upon Exposure to Hypobaric Hypoxia

Stephen R. Muza PhD1; Paul B. Rock DO, PhD1; Timothy P. Lyons PhD1; Allen Cymerman PhD1; Craig M. Lilly MD1; Jeffrey M. Drazen MD, FCCP1; and James M. Roach MD, FCCP2

1 From the Altitude Physiology and Medicine Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine Natick, Mass
2 From the Altitude Physiology and Medicine Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine Natick, Mass; and the Combined Program in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston

Study objective: To determine whether urinary leukotriene E4 (uLTE4) levels increase upon exposure to high altitude, and also to ascertain the relationship between uLTE4 levels and symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS).

Design: Prospective, unblinded, single-factor (altitude) experimental study.

Settings: US Army research laboratory facilities at sea level ([SL] 50 m), 1,830 m, and 4,300 m.

Participants: Eight healthy male subjects ranging in age from 19 to 24 years.

Measurements: uLTE4 levels and symptoms of AMS were measured at just above SL (50 m), 3frac12 days after being transported from SL to moderate altitude (MA) (1,830 m), and 1frac12 days after ascent from 1,830 to 4,300 m (high altitude [HA]). Symptoms of AMS were assessed using standard indexes derived from the Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire weighted toward cerebral (AMS-C) and respiratory (AMS-R) manifestations. Oxygen saturation was measured noninvasively by pulse oximetry at SL and HA.

Results: The mean (±SEM) uLTE4 levels (pg/mg creatinine) were 67.9 (±13.2) at SL; 82.3 (±5.5) at MA; and 134.8 (±19.4) at HA (p<0.05 comparing HA with SL and MA).

Conclusions: We conclude that uLTE4 levels increase shortly after exposure to HA even after staging for 4 days at MA. Although this study does not clearly demonstrate a relationship between uLTE4 levels and symptoms of AMS, it supports the hypothesis that leukotrienes may be involved in the pathophysiologic state of AMS.

Key Words: altitude • altitude sickness • leukotrienes

Submitted on August 5, 1995
Accepted on April 17, 1996




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ChestHome page
C. K. Grissom, L. D. Richer, and M. R. Elstad
The Effects of a 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitor on Acute Mountain Sickness and Urinary Leukotriene E4 After Ascent to High Altitude
Chest, February 1, 2005; 127(2): 565 - 570.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
P. Bartsch, U. Eichenberger, P. E. Ballmer, J. S. R. Gibbs, C. Schirlo, O. Oelz, and E. Mayatepek
Urinary Leukotriene E4 Levels Are Not Increased Prior to High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema
Chest, May 1, 2000; 117(5): 1393 - 1398.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1996 by the American College of Chest Physicians.