Postural Control in Lowlanders With COPD Traveling to 3100 m: Data From a Randomized Trial Evaluating the Effect of Preventive Dexamethasone Treatment

Muralt, Lara; Furian, Michael; Lichtblau, Mona; Aeschbacher, Sayaka S; Clark, Ross A; Estebesova, Bermet; Sheraliev, Ulan; Marazhapov, Nuriddin; Osmonov, Batyr; Bisang, Maya; Ulrich, Stefanie; Latshang, Tsogyal D; Ulrich, Silvia; Sooronbaev, Talant M; Bloch, Konrad E

doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.00752

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Muralt, L., Furian, M., Lichtblau, M., Aeschbacher, S. S., Clark, R. A., Estebesova, B., Sheraliev, U., Marazhapov, N., Osmonov, B., Bisang, M., Ulrich, S., Latshang, T. D., Ulrich, S., Sooronbaev, T. M., & Bloch, K. E. (2018). Postural Control in Lowlanders With COPD Traveling to 3100 m: Data From a Randomized Trial Evaluating the Effect of Preventive Dexamethasone Treatment. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 752. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00752

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of acute exposure to high altitude and preventive dexamethasone treatment on postural control in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this randomized, double-blind parallel-group trial, 104 lowlanders with COPD GOLD 1-2 age 20-75 years, living near Bishkek (760 m), were randomized to receive either dexamethasone (2 × 4 mg/day p.o.) or placebo on the day before ascent and during a 2-day sojourn at Tuja-Ashu high altitude clinic (3100 m), Kyrgyzstan. Postural control was assessed with a