An interventional study of Erythropheresis in Chronic Mountain Sickness, sponsored by Third Military Medical University. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-25.
Sponsored by Third Military Medical University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of erythrocytapheresis in chronic mountain sickness
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of erythrocytapheresis in patients with Chronic Mountain Sickness (CMS). Residents of high-altitude regions diagnosed with CMS will be enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups. The control group will receive standard of care, including supplemental oxygen and medical management. The intervention group will receive erythrocytapheresis in addition to standard of care. Clinical outcomes, including CMS scores, the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT), and relevant hematological and hemodynamic indicators, will be assessed and compared between the two groups to determine the therapeutic benefit of erythrocytapheresis as a hematocrit-reduction strategy.
216 studies on the registry are indexed under Altitude Sickness; 46 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 112 is above the median of 34 across 178 interventional studies indexed under Altitude Sickness.
Browse Altitude Sickness studies →Third Military Medical University is the lead sponsor of 83 studies on the registry; 17 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
Hemoglobin (Hb)
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Life expectancy
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Erythrocytapheresis plus standard of care
Procedure: Erythropheresis
Oxygen delivery and basic care
The procedure involves the extracorporeal removal of a specific volume of erythrocytes using an automated cell separator. Following the centrifugal separation of whole blood, the patient's plasma and other cellular components are concurrently re-infused, often supplemented with a replacement fluid (such as saline) to maintain isovolemia.
CMS symptom score
CMS symptom score : The symptomatic severity of CMS is evaluated using the clinical component of the International Consensus Score. This sub-score excludes the hemoglobin concentration and focuses solely on the seven classic symptoms.
Time frame: 48 hours post-erythrocytapheresis or prior to discharge for controls, and during follow-up period
CMS total score
A clinical tool used to assess the severity of CMS. It is based on symptoms and HGB levels due to prolonged exposure to high altitude.
Time frame: 48 hours post-erythrocytapheresis or prior to discharge for controls, and during follow-up period
Incremental shuttle walk test
Measures the maximum distance a patient can walk at progressively increasing speeds until exhaustion, primarily assessing peak exercise capacity.
Time frame: 48 - 72 hours post-erythrocytapheresis or prior to discharge for controls, and during follow-up period
SF-6D score
A preference-based health utility measure derived from the SF-36 or SF-12 health surveys. It is widely used in health economics and clinical research to assess health-related quality of life and calculate Quality-Adjusted Life Years for cost-effectiveness analyses.
Time frame: 48 hours post-erythrocytapheresis or prior to discharge for controls, and during follow-up period
Blood oxygen saturation
A measure of the percentage of hemoglobin binding sites in the bloodstream occupied by oxygen. It is a key indicator of respiratory and circulatory function, commonly assessed using a pulse oximeter.
Time frame: 48 - 72 hours post-erythrocytapheresis or prior to discharge for controls, and during follow-up period
Procedure-related complications
Procedure-related complications including venipuncture site reactions, systemic hypovolemic responses, anticoagulant-associated issues (such as bleeding or acute nephropathy), allergic reactions, or electrolyte imbalances
Time frame: 48 - 72 hours post-erythrocytapheresis or prior to discharge for controls
Plan to share: Yes
Access criteria: De-identified data will be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author, subject to a data sharing agreement and ethics approval where required.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Jul 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Jan 2029, 41 months after the start.
Of 76 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Altitude Sickness, half reached primary completion within 9 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 21. This study's planned 41 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 76 studies reached it within 9 months; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 21.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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Third Military Medical University