EFFECT OF HIGH ALTITUDE ON

PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES
Yajuvendrasinh L Jethwa
Assistant Professor,
Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs,
Swarnim Gujarat Sports University, Gandhinagar
Email : jethwayl@gmail.com

Introduction:
The

stresses of the high-altitude environment

This

all can causes problems for a mountaineer.

Air

pressure has a vital role to paly to acclimatization at high-altitude.

Also
The

affected by rate of ascent and duration of exposure.

evolution of short-term changes to long-term adjustments constitutes

acclimatization.
Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Introduction (Continue)
Survival

and effective functioning at HA, and the ability of some persons

to work without supplemental oxygen, are dependent upon the ability to

adjust or acclimatize to oxygen lack.
Acclimatization

can best be described as a series of integrated changes by

which the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood reaching the tissue is
brought closer to that in the ambient air.

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Introduction (Continue)
Objective

of the Study: the objective of the study was to find out the

effect of high altitude on selected physiological variables.

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Methodology:
Selection

of Subject: 10 male mountaineers of expedition to Mt.

Manirang were voluntary participated in the study.

Criterion

Measures: Heart Rate (RH) and Peripheral Oxygen Saturation

(Spo2) were selected as variables.

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Methodology (Continue)
Collection

of Data: Data were collected by team doctor at different

altitudes i.e.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

12064 ft. - (HA1)

13000 ft. - (HA2)
13900 ft. - (HA3)
15085 ft. - (HA4)
16900 ft. - (HA5)
18492 ft. - (HA6)

Statistical

Procedure: Repeated Measure ANOVA at 0.05 level of

significance was used for analysis of collected data.
Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Result of the Study:

Table 1
Mean of Heart Rate and Peripheral Oxygen Saturation at different High Altitude
Mean
Sr. No
Altitude
Heart Rate Peripheral Oxygen Saturation
1
12064 ft. (HA1)
78.30
88.50
2

13000 ft. (HA2)

88.80

87.80

13900 ft. (HA3)

107.90

83.80

15085 ft. (HA4)

109.40

79.80

16900 ft. (HA5)

100.20

85.50

18492 ft. (HA6)

100.00

84.30

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Result of the Study (Continue)

Table 2
Repeated Measure ANOVA table of Heart Rate
Source Type III Sum of Squares df Mean Square
F
Intercept
569595.267 1
569595.267
2302.187*
Error
2226.733 9
2302.415
*the F value is Significant at 0.05 level

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Result of the Study (Continue)

Table 3
Pairwise Comparisons of Heart Rate
High Altitude HA2
HA3
HA4
HA5

HA6

HA1

10.50* 29.60* 31.10* 21.90* 21.70*

HA2

19.10* 20.60* 11.40* 11.20*

HA3

1.50

HA4
HA5

7.70

7.90

9.20*

9.40*
0.20

*the mean difference is significant at 0.05 level

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

Result of the Study (Continue)

Graph 1
Mean of Heart Rate at Various High Altitude
Heart Rate
Heart Rate
120

107.9

100

109.4
100.2

100

16900 ft. (HA5)

18492 ft. (HA6)

88.8

80

78.3
60

40

20

12064 ft. (HA1)

13000 ft. (HA2)

13900 ft. (HA3)

15085 ft. (HA4)

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

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Result of the Study (Continue)

Table 4
Repeated Measure ANOVA table of Peripheral Oxygen Saturation
Source Type III Sum of Squares df Mean Square
F
Intercept
432990.150 1
432990.150 17578.729
Error
221.683 9
24.631
*
*the F value is Significant at 0.05 level

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

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Result of the Study (Continue)

Table 5
Pairwise Comparisons of Peripheral Oxygen Saturation
High Altitude HA2
HA3
HA4
HA5
HA6
HA1
HA2
HA3

0.70

4.70*

8.70*

3.00

4.20

4.00*

8.00*

2.30

3.50*

4.00*

1.70

0.50

5.70*

4.50*

HA4
HA5

1.20

*the mean difference is significant at 0.05 level

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

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Result of the Study (Continue)

Graph 2
Mean of Peripheral Oxygen Saturation at Various High Altitude
Peripheral Oxygen Saturaiton
Peripheral Oxygen Saturaiton
100

88.5
80

87.8

83.8

85.5

84.3

16900 ft. (HA5)

18492 ft. (HA6)

79.8

60

40

20

12064 ft. (HA1)

13000 ft. (HA2)

13900 ft. (HA3)

15085 ft. (HA4)

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

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Conclusion:
Based

on the result of the study it may be concluded that there is

significant effect of high altitude on heart rate and peripheral oxygen

situation at different altitudes.

Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

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Bibliography:
BEIDLEMAN, B. A., MUZA, S. R., FULCO C. S., CYMERMAN, A., DITZLER, D.,
SAWKA, M. N. (2004). Intermittent altitude exposures reduce acute mountain sickness at
4300 m. Clinical Science,106(3), 321-328, DOI: 10.1042/CS20030161
Jethwa, Y. L., Kasundra, P. M. & Chaudhari N. D. (2010). Effect of Altitude on Oxygen
Saturation. AMASS: Multilateral Research Journal, 2 (1), 13-16.
Kayser, B. (2010), Acute mountain sickness in western tourists around the Thorong Pass
(5400M), retrieve from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0953985991712886
Ronald C. E. & Julie V. P. (2010), Mountaineering the freedom of the hills, 8th Edition. Seattle,
WA: The Mountaineering Books.
Wilkerson, J. A., Moore, E. E., & Zafren, K. (2010), Medicine for mountaineering and other
wilderness activities, 6th Edition. Seattle, WA: The Mountaineering Books.
Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

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Thank You
Jethwa Y L, Asst. Prof., Department of Adventure Sports and Youth Affairs, SGSU, Gandhinagar

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