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CompletedNCT01130948Updated May 20, 2014

Sleep, Breathing and Psychomotor Performance at Altitude: A Physiologic Study in Healthy Subjects

An interventional study of altitude exposure in Healthy Men, sponsored by University of Zurich. Completed at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to male participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-05-20.

Sponsored by University of Zurich · Not applicable and Interventional

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
51
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 70 Years
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

This study investigates the effect of altitude exposure on sleep, breathing and psychomotor performance in healthy subjects.

Read the detailed description

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.

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Conditions studied

  • Healthy Men

Keywords

  • hypoxia
  • altitude
  • sleep
  • sleep apnea
  • periodic breathing
  • vigilance
  • psychomotor
  • endothelial function
03

In context

Respiratory Aspiration

1,092 studies on the registry are indexed under Respiratory Aspiration; 215 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 51 is above the median of 43 across 882 interventional studies indexed under Respiratory Aspiration.

Browse Respiratory Aspiration studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Zurich is the lead sponsor of 1,030 studies on the registry; 130 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 70 Years
Sexes eligible
Male
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • healthy men
  • residence at \<800m

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • any active disease requiring treatment
  • requirement for regular use of medication
  • smoking, regular intake of alcohol or drugs
  • body mass index \<18 or >30 kg/m2
  • previous intolerance of moderate altitude (\<3000m)
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
51 participants (actual)

Interventions

  • Otheraltitude exposure

    exposure to 490m, 1700m and 2590m

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. apnea/hypopnea index

    Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude

  2. Reaction time

    psychomotor vigilance test reaction time

    Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude

Secondary outcomes

  1. Psychomotor vigilance

    performance in the Motor Task Manager test

    Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude

  2. sleep quality

    percent of slow wave sleep, araousal index

    Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude

  3. arterial applanation tonometry

    endothelial function and arterial stiffness

    Time frame: day 1-4 at altitude

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University Hospital of Zurich, Pulmonary Division
    Zurich, CH-8091, Switzerland
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Latshang TD, Lo Cascio CM, Stowhas AC, Grimm M, Stadelmann K, Tesler N, Achermann P, Huber R, Kohler M, Bloch KE. Are nocturnal breathing, sleep, and cognitive performance impaired at moderate altitude (1,630-2,590 m)? Sleep. 2013 Dec 1;36(12):1969-76. doi: 10.5665/sleep.3242. PubMed 24293773 ↗
  • Stadelmann K, Latshang TD, Tarokh L, Lo Cascio CM, Tesler N, Stoewhas AC, Kohler M, Bloch KE, Huber R, Achermann P. Sleep respiratory disturbances and arousals at moderate altitude have overlapping electroencephalogram spectral signatures. J Sleep Res. 2014 Aug;23(4):463-8. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12131. Epub 2014 Feb 19. PubMed 24552365 ↗
  • Ayers L, Stoewhas AC, Ferry B, Latshang TD, Lo Cascio CM, Sadler R, Stadelmann K, Tesler N, Huber R, Achermann P, Bloch KE, Kohler M. Circulating levels of cell-derived microparticles are reduced by mild hypobaric hypoxia: data from a randomised controlled trial. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2014 May;114(5):1067-73. doi: 10.1007/s00421-014-2837-6. Epub 2014 Feb 11. PubMed 24514947 ↗
  • Stadelmann K, Latshang TD, Lo Cascio CM, Tesler N, Stoewhas AC, Kohler M, Bloch KE, Huber R, Achermann P. Quantitative changes in the sleep EEG at moderate altitude (1630 m and 2590 m). PLoS One. 2013 Oct 22;8(10):e76945. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076945. eCollection 2013. PubMed 24167552 ↗
  • Stowhas AC, Latshang TD, Lo Cascio CM, Lautwein S, Stadelmann K, Tesler N, Ayers L, Berneis K, Gerber PA, Huber R, Achermann P, Bloch KE, Kohler M. Effects of acute exposure to moderate altitude on vascular function, metabolism and systemic inflammation. PLoS One. 2013 Aug 1;8(8):e70081. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070081. Print 2013. PubMed 23936377 ↗
  • Stadelmann K, Latshang TD, Lo Cascio CM, Clark RA, Huber R, Kohler M, Achermann P, Bloch KE. Impaired postural control in healthy men at moderate altitude (1630 m and 2590 m): data from a randomized trial. PLoS One. 2015 Feb 27;10(2):e0116695. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116695. eCollection 2015. PubMed 25723529 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 20, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01130948
Lead sponsor
University of Zurich
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 26, 2010
Start date
May 2010
Primary completion
Oct 2010
Completion
Oct 2010
Last update
May 20, 2014

Study contacts

Konrad E Bloch, Prof. MD
principal investigator · University Hospital Zurich, Pulmonary Division

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in May 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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