Incidence and risk factors associated with acute mountain sickness in children trekking on Jade Mountain, Taiwan

Chan, Cheng; Lin, Yixiao; Chiu, Yu Hui; Weng, Yi Ming; Li, Wen Cheng; Lin, Yu Hui; Wang, Shih Hao; Hsu, Tai Yi; Huang, Kuo Feng; Chiu, Te Fa

doi:10.1093/jtm/tav008

Cited by 23 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…We found that up to 74.6% of children had sleep disturbance during the trip ( Table 2 ), which was a higher rate than in other studies [ 8 , 22 , 24 ]. Similar findings were also reported in children and adult trekkers on Jade Mountain (3,952 m) [ 15 , 25 ]. This may be due to the crowded environment of Qika Hut and Sanliujiu Hut, which contain a maximum of 130 and 110 people, respectively, in two large rooms.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Most studies found no difference in AMS incidence between males and females [ 4 , 14 – 15 , 21 , 25 , 29 ], while some studies reported that female sex was more susceptible to the development of AMS [ 8 , 13 , 20 , 24 , 27 – 28 ]. However, our study showed that males had a significantly higher incidence of AMS than females ( Table 1 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was the first established medical service provided for children at high altitudes in Taiwan. More than 2,000 children have benefited from the medical service since 2009 [ 25 , 31 ]. Although we measured HR and SpO 2 , there were no significant differences in either measure between the AMS and non-AMS group on any day.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Imray et al reported an incidence of 91.7% in adolescents aged 15–18 years trekking to 4,200–5,500 m in Machu Picchu, Peru [ 24 ]. Chan et al reported an incidence of 59% in older children trekking to Jade Mountain, Taiwan (3,952 m) in 3 days [ 25 ]. A group of children and adolescents were studied after rapid ascent from 570 m to 3,450 m in a 3-hour train ride, with a reported incidence of 30–37.5% [ 3 , 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness and associated symptoms in children trekking on Xue Mountain, Taiwan

Cheng¹,

Jeng

Lin

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundAcute mountain sickness (AMS) occurs in non-acclimatized people after an acute ascent to an altitude of 2,500 m or higher. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence and severity of AMS and associated symptoms in children.MethodsThe prospective observational study included 197 healthy, non-acclimatized 11 and 12-year-old children trekking the round-trip from the trailhead to the summit of Xue Mountain, Taiwan (2,179 m to 3,886 m) over 3 days. AMS was evaluated at Qika Hut (2,460 m) on Day 1, at Sanliujiu Hut on Day 2 (3,100 m), and at the same altitude (3,100 m) after reaching the summit on Day 3. We used the Lake Louise Score (LLS) to diagnose AMS and record daily AMS-associated symptoms. We gave acetazolamide to children with mild to moderate AMS. Dexamethasone was reserved for individuals suffering from severe AMS. Acetaminophen was administrated to children with headache, and metoclopramide for those with nausea or vomiting.ResultsThere were 197 subjects eligible for analysis. The overall incidence of AMS was 40.6%, which was higher in males and in subjects with a higher body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05). The prevalence of AMS on Day 1 was 5.6%, which was significantly lower than that on Day 2 (29.4%) and Day 3 (23.4%). The mean LLS of all subjects was 1.77 ± 2.08. The overall incidence of severe AMS (LLS ≥ 5) was 12.5%. The mean LLS of the AMS group (3.02 ± 2.46) was significantly higher than that of the non-AMS group (0.92 ± 1.16, p < 0.001). Among the AMS group, the mean LLS was 1.00 ± 1.55 on Day 1, 4.09 ± 1.97 on Day 2, and 3.98 ± 2.42 on Day 3. The most common symptom was sleep disturbance followed by dizziness, and headache. The prevalence of headache was 46.2% on Day 2 at 3,100 m, and 31.3% on Day 3 at the same altitude after climbing the summit (3,886 m). Males experienced significantly more headache and fatigue than females (p < 0.05). The LLS and prevalence of all AMS symptoms were significantly higher in the AMS than the non-AMS group (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe AMS incidence among children trekking to Xue Mountain was 40.6%. AMS is common and mostly manifests as mild symptoms. Gender (male) and a higher BMI could be considered two independent risk factors of higher AMS incidence. Sleep disturbance is the most common symptom, and the lower prevalence of headache on Day 3 may be due to the effects of medication and/or acclimatization.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness and associated symptoms in children trekking on Xue Mountain, Taiwan

Cheng¹,

Jeng

Lin

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…AMS is more likely to happen at altitudes higher than 2500 m, 4 and worldwide studies reported an incidence of AMS of 25%–37% at 1900–3400 m. 1 5 Children are more prone to develop AMS, with an incidence of 59%. 6 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ginkgo biloba extract for prevention of acute mountain sickness: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Tsai

Wang²,

Lee

et al. 2018

BMJ Open

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectiveTrials of ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) for the prevention of acute mountain sickness (AMS) have been published since 1996. Because of their conflicting results, the efficacy of GBE remains unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether GBE prevents AMS.MethodsThe Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google Scholar and PubMed databases were searched for articles published up to 20 May 2017. Only randomised controlled trials were included. AMS was defined as an Environmental Symptom Questionnaire Acute Mountain Sickness-Cerebral score ≥0.7 or Lake Louise Score ≥3 with headache. The main outcome measure was the relative risk (RR) of AMS in participants receiving GBE for prophylaxis. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models. Sensitivity analyses, subgroup analyses and tests for publication bias were conducted.ResultsSeven study groups in six published articles met all eligibility criteria, including the article published by Leadbetter et al, where two randomised controlled trials were conducted. Overall, 451 participants were enrolled. In the primary meta-analysis of all seven study groups, GBE showed trend of AMS prophylaxis, but it is not statistically significant (RR=0.68; 95% CI 0.45 to 1.04; p=0.08). The I2 statistic was 58.7% (p=0.02), indicating substantial heterogeneity. The pooled risk difference (RD) revealed a significant risk reduction in participants who use GBE (RD=−25%; 95% CI, from a reduction of 45% to 6%; p=0.011) The results of subgroup analyses of studies with low risk of bias, low starting altitude (<2500 m), number of treatment days before ascending and dosage of GBE are not statistically significant.ConclusionThe currently available data suggest that although GBE may tend towards AMS prophylaxis, there are not enough data to show the statistically significant effect of GBE on preventing AMS. Further large randomised controlled studies are warranted.

show abstract

Kinderschlaf unterwegs

Sauseng

2018

Monatsschr Kinderheilkd

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Incidence and risk factors associated with acute mountain sickness in children trekking on Jade Mountain, Taiwan

Abstract: The incidence of AMS in children trekking on Jade Mountain is greater than that observed in adults, and was associated with altitude and recent URI.

Cited by 23 publications

References 20 publications

Incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness and associated symptoms in children trekking on Xue Mountain, Taiwan

Incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness and associated symptoms in children trekking on Xue Mountain, Taiwan

Ginkgo biloba extract for prevention of acute mountain sickness: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Kinderschlaf unterwegs

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About