title: Fluid distribution and tissue thickness changes in 29 men during 1 week at moderate altitude (2,315 m).
abstract: To quantify fluid distribution at a moderate altitude (2,315 m) 29 male subjects were studied with respect to tissue thickness changes [front (forehead), sternum, tibia], changes of total body water, changes of plasma volume, total protein concentrations (TPC), colloid osmotic pressure (COP), and electrolytes. Tissue thickness at the forehead showed a significant increase from 4.14 mm to 4.41 mm 48 h after ascent to the Rudolfshuette (2,315 m) (P < 0.05). At 96 h after ascent the tissue thickness at the tibia was decreased to 1.33 mm compared to the control value of 1.59 mm (P < 0.01). Body mass increased from 75.5 kg (control) to 76.2 kg on the last day (P < 0.05) and body water from 44.21 to 45.01 during the week (P < 0.01). The accumulation fluid in the upper part of the body was paralleled by a decrease in TPC and COP. At 48 h after the ascent COP dropped from 29.5 mmHg to 27.5 mmHg (P < 0.01). After 96 h at moderate altitude COP was still significantly decreased compared to the control level. At 1.5 h after the return from the Rudolf-shuette in Saalfelden (744 m) COP was back to the control values. The TPC also showed an initial drop from 7.75 g.dl-1 to 7.48 g.dl-1 after 48 h at altitude and remained below the control value during the whole week (P < 0.01). It seems from our study that even with exposure to moderate altitude measurable fluid shifts to the upper part of the body occurred which were detected by our ultrasound method.
authors.affiliation: Physiologisches Institut, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Gunga
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baartz
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wittels
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Röcker
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000502:physiology*; D001834:Body Water / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003102:Colloids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D011506:Proteins