Abstract
The bone metabolism in high mountaineering was investigated. The bone densities of 24 members of Himalayan expedition parties were measured before and after expedition by single photon absorptiometry and digital image processing method. As a result, decrease of bone density of 1/6 radial distal portion was 3.2±5.4% (p<0.01). The bone atrophy tended to recover in 5 months and 12 months follow-up measurement, but did not recover completely in a year. Among the indices of bone metabolism, moreover, serum Ca and 1,25-(OH)2D3 decreased of 4.5±4.1% and 22.4±21.9% respectively, during the Himalayan expedition. Concerning the nutritional state, 4.5±4.0% decrease of body weight was observed, but the serum cholesterol was increased of 12.6±14.8%, and this fact could not be explained by malnutrition alone. The special environment of high mountain, that is, low barometric pressure and low oxygen tension, is probably responsible for the bone atrophy.
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Tanaka, H., Minowa, K., Satoh, T. et al. Bone atrophy at high altitude. J Bone Miner Metab 10, 31–36 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02383459
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02383459