The role of menopause in the development of chronic mountain
sickness.
Le[acute]on-Velarde, Fabiola, Marco Antonio Ramos, Jos[acute]e Antonio
Hern[acute]andez, Diego De Idi[acute]aquez, Luisa Silvia
Mu[tilde]noz, Angelo Gaffo, Sharon C[acute]ordova, Dante Durand, and
Carlos Monge C.
Professor of Physiology, Professor Emeritus of Medicine and
Physiology, from the: Departamento de Ciencias
Fisiol[acute]ogicas/Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura,
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Apartado 4314, Lima 100 -
Per[acute]u
APStracts 3:0267R, 1996.
The objective of this study was to investigate the role of menopause
in the appearence of the physiopathological sequence which leads to
chronic mountain sickness (CMS) in a female high altitude population.
The females studied were 30-54 years age (n=152) and have permanent
residence in Cerro de Pasco (Pasco, Per[acute]u; 4,300 m.). The
sample was divided in post-menopausal and pre-menopausal groups for
comparison. Blood-oxygen saturation (SaO2), excessive erythrocytosis
(EE: measured by the level of hematocrit (Hct)), peak expiratory flow
rates (PEFR) and a score which represents the main signs and symptoms
of CMS (CMSsco) were measured. Post-menopausal women had higher Hct
(50.2+/-4.04 vs 47.4+/-4.13%; p<0.001), lower SaO2 (81.9+/-4.12
vs 84.7+/-3.14%; p<0.001) and PEFR values (489+/-101 vs 534+/-90
l/min; p<0.02), and slightly higher CMS sco (19.1+/-3.37 vs
17.9+/-3.48; p<0.06) than pre-menopausal women. The prevalence
of women with EE (EE = Hct > 56%) was found to be 8.8%. Forty
five percent of the post-menopausal presented a high CMS score
(> 21), while only 22% of the pre-menopausal subjects presented
this high value (p<0.02). We can therefore conclude that
menopause may represent a contributing factor for the development of
CMS.
Received 13 November 1995; accepted in final form 19 June 1996.
APS Manuscript Number R705-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 25 July 1996