title: Changes in cardiovascular functions, lipid profile, and body composition at high altitude in two different ethnic groups.
abstract: High altitude (HA) presents inhospitable environmental conditions that adversely affects human physiology and metabolism. Changes in physiological functions are reported during high altitude exposure, but the changes vary with physical state, culture habits, geographical locations, and genetic variation of individual. The present study was carried out to explore the variation in acclimatization pattern of two different ethnic groups in relation to cardiovascular functions, lipid profile and body composition. The study was carried out on 30 human volunteers (20 Indian and 10 Kyrgyz) initially at Bishkek for basal recording and on day 3, 7, 14, and 21 of high altitude (3200 m) induction and again on day 3 of de-induction. On altitude exposure significant decrease in body weight was observed both in Indian (day 14, p<0.001) and Kyrgyz (day 3, p<0.01) subjects. Decreased levels of total body water, extra cellular and intra cellular body water were also observed in both the groups. Significant reduction in body mass index (p<0.01), fat free mass (p<0.01), body cell mass (p<0.01) and body volume (p<0.01) was also observed in Kyrgyz subjects, whereas in Indian subjects the changes were not significant in these variables on high altitude exposure. Diastolic blood pressure and heart rate increased significantly on day 3 (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively) of induction in Indian subjects; whereas in Kyrgyz significant increase was observed on day 14 (p<0.05) in both the cases. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels increased significantly on day 7 of HA exposure in both the groups. Results indicate that the Indian and Kyrgyz groups report differently, in relation to changes in cardiovascular functions, lipid profiles, and body composition, when exposed to HA. The difference observed in acclimatization pattern in the two groups may be due to ethnic/genetic variation of two populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Sciences, DIPAS, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vats
authors.forename: Koushik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Dhurjati
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Majumadar
authors.lastname: Amitabh
authors.forename: Duraisamy Arul
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Susovon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayen
authors.forename: Almaz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akunov
authors.forename: Akpav
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarbaev
authors.forename: Shashi Bala
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization; D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044466:Asian People; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001834:Body Water / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D045604:Extracellular Fluid / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000502:physiology; D007707:Kyrgyzstan; D008297:Male; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL