This study investigates the effect of altitude exposure on sleep, breathing and psychomotor performance in healthy subjects.
Sleep is essential for well being and performance. Sleep disturbances by recurrent apnea and hypoxia in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome impair quality of life, cognitive and cardiovascular functions. Similar consequences occur in healthy subjects exposed to hypoxia at altitude due to periodic breathing with recurrent central apnea. This project will investigate effects of altitude on sleep, breathing, psychomotor performance and on the cardiovascular system in healthy subjects and patients with sleep apnea. The results will help to better understand mechanisms of sleep disturbances and psychomotor impairment induced by hypoxia and to prevent adverse effects of altitude exposure.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
51
exposure to 490m, 1700m and 2590m
University Hospital of Zurich, Pulmonary Division
Zurich, Switzerland
apnea/hypopnea index
Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude
Reaction time
psychomotor vigilance test reaction time
Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude
Psychomotor vigilance
performance in the Motor Task Manager test
Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude
sleep quality
percent of slow wave sleep, araousal index
Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude
arterial applanation tonometry
endothelial function and arterial stiffness
Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude
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