title: Effects of altitude on spleen volume: sonographic assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To use sonography to determine changes that may arise in splenic volume in humans from regions of lower altitude who begin to live in regions of higher altitude.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in the Turkish province of Ağri, at an altitude of 1750 m and included 108 healthy, nonsmoking, disease-free volunteers who had moved from regions at an altitude lower than 500 m. Length, width, and thickness of the spleen were measured using sonography. Splenic volume was calculated using the following standard ellipsoid formula: length x width x thickness x 0.523. Sonographic assessments were repeated at 3 and 6 months along with other blood tests, including hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean +/- SD splenic volume was 299 +/- 97 cm(3) (range, 116-574 cm(3)). At 3 and 6 months, the splenic volumes decreased significantly compared to their initial values (p < 0.05). An increase in hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet count was observed in all subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show that splenic volume in healthy individuals who begins to live at high altitudes decreases gradually.
authors: Department of Radiology, GATA Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, 81327 Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Guner
authors: G
authors: Sonmez
authors: Ersin
authors: E
authors: Ozturk
authors: C Cinar
authors: CC
authors: Basekim
authors: Hakan
authors: H
authors: Mutlu
authors: Selim
authors: S
authors: Kilic
authors: Yalcin
authors: Y
authors: Onem
authors: Esref
authors: E
authors: Kizilkaya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D001835:Body Weight; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009929:Organ Size; D010976:Platelet Count; D011187:Posture; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016683:Supine Position; D014421:Turkey; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins