Margherita Hut 2010: Xtreme Alps analysis of biological samples
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Margherita Hut 2010: Xtreme Alps. The project is a high altitude field study to investigate the effects of hypoxaemia on human performance at altitude. It comprises a number of studies examining the effect of dietary nitrate supplementation, changes in oxygen extraction, changes in the microcirculation, changes in pulmonary artery pressure, weight loss, and changes in cerebral blood flow.
IRAS ID
157226
Contact name
Michael P W Grocott
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The amount of oxygen available in the air falls dramatically as one ascends to high altitude (hypobaric hypoxia). Exposure to altitude therefore leads to a low level of oxygen in the blood (hypoxaemia) that is associated with reduced physical function and exercise capacity; the degree of which varies widely between individuals. A comparable situation is encountered in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit of hospitals. Hypoxaemia is a universal phenomenon in this patient group and leads to lack of cellular oxygen (hypoxia), organ failure and death. As clinicians, our ability to predict which patients will succumb to the detrimental effects of hypoxaemia and which will survive is limited. Furthermore, treatment strategies for hypoxaemia to date are limited and not without severe adverse consequences.
Our research group is engaged in a programme of translational research aimed at identifying mechanisms that may lead to the successful treatment of hypoxaemia. Our core hypothesis is that some individuals are more efficient than others in adapting to low oxygen levels. These individuals may be more effective at harnessing oxygen for the generation of energy. The cellular processes that govern this may be amenable to manipulation and of benefit to critically ill patients.
The Margherita Hut expedition incorporated a number of high altitude field studies performed on the same subject cohort by the same investigators. The ‘core study’ was a randomised, double-blinded trial to assess the effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on the efficiency of adaptation to hypoxia and the utilisation of oxygen at high altitude. Other studies examined changes in oxygen extraction, microcirculation, hypoxic ventilatory response, weight loss, and cerebral blood flow in hypoxic human healthy volunteers.
Data from the Margherita Hut 2010 study may be used in conjunction with data from our other high altitude research expeditions outlined above.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/1210
Date of REC Opinion
2 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion