Erythropoietin in the Prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a syndrome of nonspecific symptoms and is therefore subjective. The Lake Louise Consensus Group defined acute mountain sickness as the presence of headache in an unacclimatized person who has recently arrived at an altitude above 2,500 m plus the presence of one or more of the following: gastrointestinal symptoms (anorexia, nausea, or vomiting), insomnia, dizziness, and lassitude or fatigue. An increase in RBC mass is a natural feature of altitude acclimatization. Hypoxia-induced erythropoietin (EPO) secretion begins hours after ascent and stimulates bone marrow production of red blood cells, but this takes weeks to effect an increase in red cell mass . Therefore, it is feasible that EPO therapy weeks before altitude exposure decrease high altitude illness.

In 1996, Young et al in U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) reported that autologous erythrocyte infusion did not ameliorate the decrement in maximal oxygen uptake at 4,300m altitude despite increasing arterial oxygen carrying capacity. On the basis of this report, USARIEM did not recommend use of recombinant EPO for altitude acclimatization.

However, increases in erythrocyte count, hematocrit and hemoglobin associated with EPO therapy have been shown to decrease fatigue and increase work capacity and exercise tolerance. In addition, improvement in CNS function and cognitive ability has been noted with EPO therapy. Subjective benefits include improvement in sleep habits, tolerance to cold; decreased dyspnea, anginal symptoms and tachycardia and improved appetite, all of which are symptoms associated with high altitude illness.

The investigators also reported improved muscle energy metabolism with EPO in dialysis patients, but not with RBC transfusion.

In this study, the investigators will conduct a randomised controlled trial to assess the effect of EPO administration on AMS at an altitude of 4,130 m.

Clinical Trial Description

n/a

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

Clinical Trial Details

NCT number	NCT01665781
Study type	Interventional
Source	University of Ulsan
Contact
Status	Completed
Phase	Phase 4
Start date	August 2012
Completion date	March 2013

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See also
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Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.

Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.

Erythropoietin in the Prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness — EPO-AMS

Clinical Trial Summary

Clinical Trial Description

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms