Change of Plasma High Sensitive —C reactive protein levels in climbers

Rationale Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a high altitude illness. Previous studies report that levels of inflammatory indicators are higher at high altitudes. Therefore, inflammation is important for AMS. Objectives We examined whether slight inflammation in mountain climbers could be detected with plasma levels of high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Next, we studied the relations of clinical parameters of plasma hs-CRP levels in AMS patients. Methods (A) 32 healthy subjects were recruited to climb the mountain. We collected their blood in Tokyo (about 40 m above sea level) and in Mt. Kita Clinic (about 2,900 m above sea level). We measured plasma hs-CRP levels in their samples. (B) Next, we collected blood from 21 climbers diagnosed with AMS. We also measured hs-CRP levels in AMS patients and examined their relationship to clinical parameters of AMS. Results Plasma hs-CRP levels of healthy subjects after climbing the mountain were significantly higher than before climbing (914� 272 ng/ml vs 299� 86, P0.05). Plasma levels of hs-CRP were much higher values in AMS patients (2,433� 831). They were correlated with AMS score (P0.001, r0.658), and symptomatic duration (P0.001, r0.691). Conclusion These results showed slight inflammation existed in healthy climbers. Moreover, it was demonstrated plasma hs-CRP levels were related to clinical parameters of AMS. Therefore, hs-CRP was suggested to be an available and objective marker that could be used to evaluate the severity of AMS as an inflammatory disease.