Altitude sickness epidemiology and demographics

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Farima Kahe M.D. [2]

Overview

The incidence of altitude sickness is approximately 53,000 per 100,000 individuals worldwide. The prevalence and mortality rate of altitude sickness depends on altitude. Patients of all age groups may develop altitude sickness. The incidence of altitude sickness increases with age; the median age at diagnosis is 26-45 years. There is no racial predilection to altitude sickness. The majority of altitude sickness cases are reported in Kilimanjaro, Everest region of Nepal.

Epidemiology and Demographics

Incidence

  • The incidence of altitude sickness is approximately 53,000 per 100,000 individuals worldwide.[1][2]

Prevalence

  • The prevalence of altitude sickness is approximately as following:[2][3]
    • 9000 per 100,000 individuals of people at 2850 m
    • 13000 per 100,000 individuals of people at 3050 m
    • 34000 per individuals of people at 3650 m
    • 53,000 per 100,000 individuals of people at 4559 m

Case-fatality rate/Mortality rate

  • The mortality rate of altitude sickness is approximately as following:[4][5]
    • 289 per 100,000 individuals in men below 300 m of altitude
    • 242 per 100,000 individuals in men at altitudes above 1500 m
    • 104 per 100,000 individuals in women at below 300 m of altitude
    • 74 per 100,000 individuals in women at altitude 1500 to 1960 m

Age

  • Patients of all age groups may develop altitude sickness.[6]
  • The incidence of altitude sickness increases with age; the median age at diagnosis is 26-45 years.[7]

Race

  • There is no racial predilection to altitude sickness.

Gender

  • Female are more commonly affected by altitude sickness than male.[5]

Region

  • The majority of altitude sickness cases are reported in Kilimanjaro, Everest region of Nepal.[5][8]

References

  1. Hackett PH, Rennie D, Levine HD (November 1976). "The incidence, importance, and prophylaxis of acute mountain sickness". Lancet. 2 (7996): 1149–55. PMID 62991.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Murdoch D (March 2010). "Altitude sickness". BMJ Clin Evid. 2010. PMC 2907615. PMID 21718562.
  3. Mairer K, Wille M, Burtscher M (2010). "The prevalence of and risk factors for acute mountain sickness in the Eastern and Western Alps". High Alt. Med. Biol. 11 (4): 343–8. doi:10.1089/ham.2010.1039. PMID 21190503.
  4. Burtscher M (August 2014). "Effects of living at higher altitudes on mortality: a narrative review". Aging Dis. 5 (4): 274–80. doi:10.14336/AD.2014.0500274. PMID 25110611.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Taylor AT (January 2011). "High-altitude illnesses: physiology, risk factors, prevention, and treatment". Rambam Maimonides Med J. 2 (1): e0022. doi:10.5041/RMMJ.10022. PMC 3678789. PMID 23908794.
  6. MacInnis MJ, Carter EA, Freeman MG, Pandit BP, Siwakoti A, Subedi A, Timalsina U, Widmer N, Thapa GB, Koehle MS, Rupert JL (2013). "A prospective epidemiological study of acute mountain sickness in Nepalese pilgrims ascending to high altitude (4380 m)". PLoS ONE. 8 (10): e75644. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0075644. PMC 3794000. PMID 24130729.
  7. Tang XG, Zhang JH, Qin J, Gao XB, Li QN, Yu J, Ding XH, Huang L (2014). "Age as a risk factor for acute mountain sickness upon rapid ascent to 3,700 m among young adult Chinese men". Clin Interv Aging. 9: 1287–94. doi:10.2147/CIA.S67052. PMC 4128797. PMID 25120358.
  8. Peacock AJ (October 1998). "ABC of oxygen: oxygen at high altitude". BMJ. 317 (7165): 1063–6. PMC 1114067. PMID 9774298.

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