Monge's disease at 100 years: Revisiting the origins and endocrine mechanisms of chronic mountain sickness.

ABSTRACT: Chronic mountain sickness (CMS), first described by Carlos Monge Medrano in 1925, is characterized by excessive erythrocytosis (EE), hypoxemia, and neurocognitive disturbances in long-term high-altitude residents. This narrative review revisits Monge's contribution in the light of modern research. CMS is now recognized worldwide, where genetic predisposition and environmental stressors jointly shape susceptibility to high-altitude life. Although hypoxia-driven erythropoietin (EPO) stimulation has long been considered the primary mechanism, recent evidence highlights the critical role of sex hormones in modulating erythropoiesis. EE, once the defining feature, is now complemented by symptom-based scoring systems that better capture the syndrome. Testosterone promotes erythroid expansion by

SUBMITTER: Gonzales GF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12553845 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature