To K2!

With the exception of some populations, humans are not adapted to live above a certain altitude. The reduction in air pressure that takes place as altitude increases makes it increasingly difficult to oxygenate the blood and, consequently, other body tissues.

Oxygen deficiency triggers several physiological responses, including increased heart and respiratory rates, dilation of cerebral and muscular blood vessels, and constriction of pulmonary blood vessels. While these physiological changes temporarily make up for the lack of oxygen in the tissues, they also underlie the symptoms of acute mountain sickness. Being at high altitude without having acclimatized first, that is, without having given the body time to adapt to hypoxia, can result in headaches, nausea, insomnia, sleep apnea, even, in severe cases, hallucinations, and pulmonary and cerebral edema.

Much of what is known about the effects of high altitude on the human body comes from studies conducted on male subjects. The paucity of data on female physiology at high altitudes is not only surprising, considering that women have been climbing mountains since the advent of modern mountaineering, but also dangerous: having such little data means that ad hoc medical recommendations for female mountaineers are likely to be unreliable. In light of this, the women’s ascent of K2, organized by the Italian Alpine Club on the 70th anniversary of the summit’s conquest, presents a golden opportunity.

Before their expedition, the eight Italian and Pakistani mountaineers stopped by terraXcube where, under the guidance of researchers from Eurac Research’s Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine, CeRiSM – the Sport, Mountain and Health Research Center in Rovereto –, Italian Alpine Club and Institute of Clinical Physiology, the group underwent a series of tests. These were carried out both at Bolzano’s altitude and at the simulated altitude of 5,000 m.a.s.l: the same altitude at which the K2 base camp is located. Among the examinations performed, various blood samples, tests and analyses designed to assess cardiovascular and respiratory function both at rest and during exercise, such as ultrasound scans and spirometry, and brain function, as well as computer-based cognitive tests were carried out on the female subjects. The latter took into account reaction speed, short-term memory, and the ability to process visual-spatial information.

In June, the mountaineers will fly to Pakistan and, once acclimatization is achieved, attempt the summit in the second half of July. Having concluded their adventure, they will return to the terraXcube to repeat the tests carried out before their departure, and more. When they return, in fact, their acclimatization level will be such that they can be safely exposed to simulated altitudes above 8,000 m.a.s.l. Comparing the results of the experiments carried out before their departure with those obtained on this second occasion will shed light on how the female organism functions at extreme altitudes. An important contribution to the resolution of gender disparities in the biomedical field.