Does anyone have any idea what percent of hikers attempting the summit gets hit with AMS?
WAGNER, D. R., K. D'ZATKO, K. TATSUGAWA, K. MURRAY, D. PARKER, T. STREEPER, and K. WILLARD. Mt. Whitney:
Determinants of Summit Success and Acute Mountain Sickness. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 40, No. 10, pp. 1820-1827, 2008.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of summit success and acute mountain sickness (AMS) on Mt. Whitney (4419 m)
and to identify variables that contribute to both.
Methods: Hikers (N = 886) attempting the summit were interviewed at the trailhead upon their descent. Questionnaires included demographic and descriptive data, acclimatization and altitude history, and information specific to the ascent.
The Lake Louise Self-Assessment Score was used to make a determination about the occurrence of AMS.
Logistic regression techniques were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for AMS and summit success.
Results:
Forty-three percent of the
sample met the criteria for AMS, and 81% reached the summit. The odds of experiencing AMS were reduced with increases in age
(adjusted 10-yr OR = 0.78; P G 0.001), number of hours spent above 3000 m in the 2 wk preceding the ascent (adjusted 24-h OR =
0.71; P G 0.001), and for females (OR = 0.68; P = 0.02).
Climbers who had a history of AMS (OR = 1.41; P = 0.02) and those taking analgesics (OR = 2.39; P G 0.001) were more likely to experience AMS. As climber age increased, the odds of reaching the summit decreased (adjusted 10-yr OR = 0.75; P G 0.001).
However, increases in the number of hours per week spent training (adjusted 5-h OR = 1.24; P = 0.05), rate of ascent (adjusted 50 mIhj1 OR = 1.13; P = 0.04), and previous high-altitude record (adjusted 500 m OR = 1.26; P G 0.001) were all associated with increased odds for summit success.
Conclusions: A high percentage of trekkers reached the
summit despite having symptoms of AMS.
