Are nocturnal breathing, sleep, and cognitive performance impaired at moderate altitude (1,630-2,590 m)?

ABSTRACT:

Study objectives

Newcomers at high altitude (> 3,000 m) experience periodic breathing, sleep disturbances, and impaired cognitive performance. Whether similar adverse effects occur at lower elevations is uncertain, although numerous lowlanders travel to moderate altitude for professional or recreational activities. We evaluated the hypothesis that nocturnal breathing, sleep, and cognitive performance of lowlanders are impaired at moderate altitude.

Design

Randomized crossover trial.

Setting

University hospital at 490 m, Swiss mountain villages at 1,630 m and 2,590 m.

Participants

Fifty-one healthy men, median (quartiles) age 24 y (20-28 y), living below 800 m.

Interventions

Studies at Zurich (490 m) and during 4 consecutive days at 1,630 m and 2,590 m, r

SUBMITTER: Latshang TD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3825448 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature