Background rates of acute mountain sickness-like symptoms at low altitude in adolescents using Lake Louise score

Abstract

Objective: To record the incidence of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of acute mountain sickness (AMS), using the Lake Louise questionnaire, in adolescents hiking at low altitude.

Methods: The study was carried out on a cohort of 123 adolescents during a 3-day trip on Dartmoor, UK, at an altitude of less than 500 m. The incidence of symptoms experienced was measured using the Lake Louise questionnaire, which was completed twice daily by each participant. An episode consistent with AMS, but in the low altitude setting, was defined as a score of 3 or more on the Lake Louise questionnaire in the presence of a headache.

Results: There were 59 boys and 64 girls in the study with an average age of 16.7 years. The response rate was 100%. A total of 59 episodes of scores consistent with AMS was recorded during the 3-day period. Forty-two of these episodes were reported by girls (71%). AMS scores between 3 and 8 were recorded, and the daily incidence rates of scores consistent with AMS but at low altitude were between 7.3% and 11.3%.

Conclusions: This study shows that adolescents at low altitude reported a background incidence of symptoms that at high altitude would lead to a diagnosis of AMS.