The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Abnormal blood flow in the sublingual microcirculation at high altitude

Abnormal blood flow in the sublingual microcirculation at high altitude
Abnormal blood flow in the sublingual microcirculation at high altitude
We report the first direct observations of deranged microcirculatory blood flow at high altitude, using sidestream dark-field imaging. Images of the sublingual microcirculation were obtained from a group of 12 volunteers during a climbing expedition to Cho Oyu (8,201 m) in the Himalayas. Microcirculatory flow index (MFI) was calculated from the moving images of microcirculatory red blood cell flow, and comparison was made between the baseline and high altitude measurements. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and Lake Louise scores (LLS) were recorded along with MFI. Our data demonstrate that there was a significant reduction in MFI from baseline to 4,900 m in small (less than 25 µm) and medium (26-50 µm) sized blood vessels (P = 0.025 and P = 0.046, respectively). There was no significant correlation between MFI and SpO(2) or MFI and LLS. Disruption of blood flow within microcirculatory may explain persistent abnormal oxygen flux to tissues following the normalisation of systemic oxygen delivery that accompanies acclimatisation to high altitude.
1439-6319
473-478
Martin, Daniel S.
3e441b48-9221-4308-8ae6-49cbde20753f
Ince, Can
e90ab828-f27d-408a-9392-d6f795f8752b
Goedhart, Peter
4e176e15-9890-4885-a19e-21336e4e4135
Levett, Denny Z.H.
4b33b751-32be-4fa3-aaf7-b62e62f08de8
Grocott, Mike P.W.
1e87b741-513e-4a22-be13-0f7bb344e8c2
Caudwell Xtreme Everest Research Group
Martin, Daniel S.
3e441b48-9221-4308-8ae6-49cbde20753f
Ince, Can
e90ab828-f27d-408a-9392-d6f795f8752b
Goedhart, Peter
4e176e15-9890-4885-a19e-21336e4e4135
Levett, Denny Z.H.
4b33b751-32be-4fa3-aaf7-b62e62f08de8
Grocott, Mike P.W.
1e87b741-513e-4a22-be13-0f7bb344e8c2

Martin, Daniel S., Ince, Can, Goedhart, Peter, Levett, Denny Z.H. and Grocott, Mike P.W. , Caudwell Xtreme Everest Research Group (2009) Abnormal blood flow in the sublingual microcirculation at high altitude. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 106 (3), 473-478. (doi:10.1007/s00421-009-1023-8). (PMID:15343008)

Record type: Article

Abstract

We report the first direct observations of deranged microcirculatory blood flow at high altitude, using sidestream dark-field imaging. Images of the sublingual microcirculation were obtained from a group of 12 volunteers during a climbing expedition to Cho Oyu (8,201 m) in the Himalayas. Microcirculatory flow index (MFI) was calculated from the moving images of microcirculatory red blood cell flow, and comparison was made between the baseline and high altitude measurements. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and Lake Louise scores (LLS) were recorded along with MFI. Our data demonstrate that there was a significant reduction in MFI from baseline to 4,900 m in small (less than 25 µm) and medium (26-50 µm) sized blood vessels (P = 0.025 and P = 0.046, respectively). There was no significant correlation between MFI and SpO(2) or MFI and LLS. Disruption of blood flow within microcirculatory may explain persistent abnormal oxygen flux to tissues following the normalisation of systemic oxygen delivery that accompanies acclimatisation to high altitude.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: June 2009
Organisations: Human Development & Health

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 348930
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/348930
ISSN: 1439-6319
PURE UUID: 3a82c366-7909-4375-b333-e211d1a8d036
ORCID for Mike P.W. Grocott: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9484-7581

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 22 Feb 2013 11:45
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:33

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Daniel S. Martin
Author: Can Ince
Author: Peter Goedhart
Author: Denny Z.H. Levett
Corporate Author: Caudwell Xtreme Everest Research Group

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×