Ataxia in Acute Mountain Sickness Does Not Improve with Short-term Oxygen Inhalation

Abstract

Stability of stance declines at high altitude in subjects with and without acute mountain sickness (AMS), suggesting that postural ataxia might result from different hypoxia-related mechanisms than those causing the signs and symptoms of AMS. The aim of this study was to determine whether short-term oxygen inhalation improves stability of stance assessed by static posturography and/or the symptoms of AMS. Twenty male volunteers with cerebral AMS scores above 0.70 were investigated the first or second morning of their stay at an altitude of 4559 m. Posturographic parameters remained unchanged, whereas cerebral AMS scores decreased (p < 0.001) after inhalation of 3 L/min of oxygen for at least 10 min. We conclude that ataxia of stance assessed by posturography may result from different hypoxia-triggered mechanisms that need more time for recovery than those causing AMS.