Effects of rapid entrance into plateau area on the vascular endothelial function and the relationship to acute mountain sickness

Objective To observe the changes in the vascular endothelial function indexes in subjects who enter plateau areas expeditiously, and investigate the relationship between their changes and acute mountain sickness (AMS). Methods Thirty-two healthy young male lowlands residents were recruited as subjects, and they were sent by bus to an area of altitude of 3900m. According to the score of Lake Louise questionnaire, the subjects were divided into AMS+ and AMS– group at the 5th day after the entrance into plateau. The changes in the vascular endothelial function indexes (NO, ET-1, VEGF, VE-cadherin, MDA and SOD) in serum of the subjects were detected by ELISA. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to identify the relationship of AMS to the changes of the indexes mentioned above. Results On the 5th day after being exposed to high altitude, the incidence of AMS was 43.8% (14/32). The serum levels of NO and SOD in subjects were significantly lowered (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively) compared with those before the entrance into high altitude area, while the levels of ET-1 and MDA were obviously elevated (P<0.05). However, the levels of VEGF and VE-cadherin showed no obvious change in the subjects as compared before and after the entrance into plateau area. After the entrance into the plateau, the levels of NO, VEGF, VE-cadherin and SOD were lowered obviously and ET-1 level increased significantly in AMS+ group as compared with those in AMS‒ group (P<0.05 and P