Pupillary light reaction during high altitude exposure

Purpose This study aimed to quantify the pupillary light reaction during high altitude exposure using the state of the art Compact Integrated Pupillograph (CIP) and to investigate a potential correlation of altered pupil reaction with severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS). This work is related t...

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Main Authors: Schultheiß, Maximilian (Author) , Schommer, Kai (Author) , Schatz, Andreas (Author) , Wilhelm, Barbara (Author) , Peters, Tobias Markus (Author) , Fischer, Manuel Dominik (Author) , Zrenner, Eberhart (Author) , Bartz-Schmidt, Karl U. (Author) , Gekeler, Florian Eberhard (Author) , Willmann, Gabriel (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: February 4, 2014
In: PLOS ONE
Year: 2014, Volume: 9, Issue: 2
ISSN:1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0087889
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0087889
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0087889
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Author Notes:Maximilian Schultheiss, Kai Schommer, Andreas Schatz, Barbara Wilhelm, Tobias Peters, M. Dominik Fischer, Eberhart Zrenner, Karl U. Bartz-Schmidt, Florian Gekeler, Gabriel Willmann
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Summary:Purpose This study aimed to quantify the pupillary light reaction during high altitude exposure using the state of the art Compact Integrated Pupillograph (CIP) and to investigate a potential correlation of altered pupil reaction with severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS). This work is related to the Tübingen High Altitude Ophthalmology (THAO) study. Methods Parameters of pupil dynamics (initial diameter, amplitude, relative amplitude, latency, constriction velocity) were quantified in 14 healthy volunteers at baseline (341 m) and high altitude (4559 m) over several days using the CIP. Scores of AMS, peripheral oxygen saturation and heart rate were assessed for respective correlations with pupil dynamics. For statistical analysis JMP was used and data are shown in terms of intra-individual normalized values (value during exposure/value at baseline) and the 95% confidence interval for each time point. Results During high altitude exposure the initial diameter size was significantly reduced (p<0.05). In contrast, the amplitude, the relative amplitude and the contraction velocity of the light reaction were significantly increased (p<0.05) on all days measured at high altitude. The latency did not show any significant differences at high altitude compared to baseline recordings. Changes in pupil parameters did not correlate with scores of AMS. Conclusions Key parameters of the pupillary light reaction are significantly altered at high altitude. We hypothesize that high altitude hypoxia itself as well as known side effects of high altitude exposure such as fatigue or exhaustion after ascent may account for an altered pupillogram. Interestingly, none of these changes are related to AMS.
Item Description:Gesehen am 06.10.2020
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0087889