Presenter(s): Karina Shah—Human Physiology
Faculty Mentor(s): Kaitlyn DiMarco, Andrew Lovering
Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation
Acute mountain sickness (AMS) occurs when individuals rapidly ascend to high altitude, but its exact cause is unknown . A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole in the heart present in one-third of the population . PFO+ subjects have greater AMS incidence, but the reasons are unknown . AMS is associated with systemic inflammation as determined by elevated cytokines and data from our lab suggests that PFO+ subjects have greater systemic inflammation . Thus, we hypothesized that the association between AMS and PFO is explained by increased inflammation . To test this, 17 PFO+ subjects (9 women) and 17 PFO- subjects (9 women) were exposed to 10 hours of hypoxia simulating 15600 feet and AMS was assessed using the Lake Louise Questionnaire . Blood samples taken before and at 10 hours of hypoxia were assayed for 13 inflammatory mediators . We found that 83% of PFO+ subjects but only 61% of PFO- subjects got AMS . AMS- subjects had significantly higher levels of IL-12p70 at 10 hours than AMS+ subjects . All other cytokines had significant time effects, and the greatest increases were in AMS- subjects . Compared to PFO- subjects, PFO+ subjects had significantly higher IL-1Î2, interferon (IFN)-α2, IL-8, IL-10, and MCP-1 levels before and at 10 hours . PFO+ subjects had the greatest increases in IFN-α2, MCP-1, and IL-10 and PFO- subjects had the greatest increases in IL-1Î2 and IL-6 . These data suggest inflammation levels differ with PFO and AMS, but with separate patterns . Therefore, systemic inflammation in AMS and PFO may be more complex than previously thought .