Effect of High Altitude Exposure, Acclimatization and Re-exposure on Postural Control in Lowlanders

Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating the effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure to high altitude on postural control

Baseline measurements including the assessment of the center of pressure during 30s, the cerebral oxygen saturation and a sharpened Romberg test will be performed in Santiago de Chile, 520 m, over the course of 3 days. Participants will then travel by commercial airline (5 h flight) and by bus (3 h ride) to the base camp of the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope station located at 2900 m near San Pedro de Atacama, northern Chile. Participants will stay there for the next 8 nights and they will be spend the days (6-8 h daily) at the telescope station at 5050 m while undergoing testing as described above at the first and the last day at 5050m. Daily transports from 2900 to 5050 m will be by car (1 h ride, one way). After the first 8 day altitude sojourn participants will return to the Santiago area (520 m) for a 6 day recovery period. A second altitude sojourn with an identical schedule as the one described above and a final low altitude stay of 3 days will follow.

Acute high altitude exposure followed by 8 day acclimatization and reexposure for 8 days after 6 days at low altitude

Inclusion Criteria: born, raised and currently living <800m No overnight stay at altitudes >1500 m 4 weeks before the study Exclusion Criteria: Previous altitude intolerance to altitude <3000 m Pregnancy Health impairment, which requires regular treatment