Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Clinical features of patients with severe altitude illness in Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Trekking in Nepal is a popular adventure travel activity involving more than 80,000 people of all ages annually. This study focuses on the demographic characteristics and clinical course of altitude illness patients evacuated to Kathmandu and estimates the rates of evacuation in different regions of Nepal.

METHODS: During the years 1999 to 2006, all patients who presented with altitude illness to the CIWEC clinic in Kathmandu were evaluated and included in the study if the final diagnosis was compatible with high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), or acute mountain sickness (AMS). Altitude illness-related deaths were reported according to death certificates issued by selected embassies in Kathmandu.

RESULTS: A total of 406 patients were evaluated, among them 327 retrospectively and 79 prospectively. HACE was diagnosed in 21%, HAPE in 34%, combined HAPE and HACE in 27%, and AMS in 18%. Mean patient age was older than trekker controls (44 +/- 13.5 vs 38.6 +/- 13.9 y, p < 0.0001). Everest region trekkers were more likely to be evacuated for altitude illness than trekkers in other regions. The estimated incidence of altitude illness-related death was 7.7/100,000 trekkers. Most altitude illness symptoms resolved completely within 2 days of evacuation.

CONCLUSIONS: Altitude illness that results in evacuation occurs more commonly among trekkers in the Everest region and among older trekkers. The outcome of all persons evacuated for altitude illness was uniformly good, and the rate of recovery was rapid. However, the incidence of altitude illness-related death continued to rise over past decade.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app