title: Incidence of acute mountain sickness in young adults at 3200 meters: comparison of the Lake Louise Scoring and Chinese Scoring Systems.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare two scoring systems used for the diagnosis of acute mountain sickness (AMS): the Lake Louise Scoring (AMS-LLS) and the Chinese Scoring Systems (AMS-CSS). In total, 339 healthy young adult volunteers residing at sea level ascended to 3200 m by train and bus over a total journey time of 48 h. All subjects ascended in the same manner and were divided into three groups that were assessed after one (N = 88), two (N = 91), and three (N = 160) nights, respectively, at altitude. The overall incidence of AMS was 17.11% (N = 58) and 29.79% (N = 101) according to the AMS-LLS and AMS-CSS, respectively. Two participants (0.59%) experienced high-altitude pulmonary edema. Both scoring systems showed the highest incidence of AMS after the second night at high altitude. The AMS-CSS and AMS-LLS scores were significantly correlated (Pearson's r = 0.820, P < 0.001). The AMS-CSS identified all AMS subjects diagnosed by the AMS-LLS, and an additional 43 subjects. The dominant symptoms were reduced exercise tolerance (61.7%), fatigue (49.0%), dizziness (28.9%), chest distress (28.3%), and headache (27.4%). Compared with the AMS-LLS, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the AMS-CSS were 100, 84.7, 57.43, and 100%, respectively. There was no relationship between oxygen saturation levels and AMS scores at 3200 m. In summary, the AMS-CSS was similar to AMS-LLS, except that it resulted in more positive diagnoses, and headache did not play a large diagnostic role.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: G Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: X B
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult