Excessive rise in pulmonary artery pressure induced by low oxygen tension (hypoxia) is one of the factors implicated in high-altitude pulmonary oedema. Plasma ET1 increases in subjects exposed to high altitude and is correlated to pulmonary artery pressure. The aim of the study is to investigate whether blockade of ET1 receptors would reduce the acute rise in systolic pulmonary artery pressure induced by hypoxia.
Patients will be examined on a variable load supine bicycle ergometer. The exercise table will be tilted laterally by 20 to 30 degrees to the left. PASP will be assessed using Doppler echocardiography at rest and during during supine bicycle exercise in NORMOXIA and hypoxia. Exposure to normobaric hypoxia will be performed by breathing a hypoxic gas mixture at sea level during 90 minutes (12,3 % O2 + 87.7 % N2) reproducing conditions at 4300 m altitude. Exercise will be started at an initial workload of 40 watts and increased by 10 watts every minute to reach a workload level defined by a heart rate (HR) corresponding to 50% of the estimated maximal aerobic power
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
20
Single dose administration of 250 mg bosentan (2 pills Tracleer 125 mg) or placebo
Single dose administration of 250 mg bosentan (2 pills Tracleer 125 mg) or placebo
Centre d'Investigation Clinique 9201 Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou
Paris, France
To investigate whether bosentan compared to placebo reduces hypoxia-induced increase in pulmonary artery pressure in healthy subjects and in subjects with past history of high-altitude pulmonary oedema
Time frame: during the study
To compare
Time frame: during the study
pulmonary artery pressure response to exercise,
Time frame: during the study
exercise capacity,
Time frame: during the study
oxygen desaturation,
Time frame: during the study
and to assess the global safety
Time frame: during the study
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