Caudwell Xtreme Everest: a field study of human adaptation to hypoxia

doi:10.1186/cc5921

Critical Care
Volume 11
Issue 4

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Grocott M
Richardson A
Montgomery H
Mythen M

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Commentary

Caudwell Xtreme Everest: a field study of human adaptation to hypoxia

Mike Grocott¹, Alan Richardson², Hugh Montgomery¹ and Monty Mythen¹

¹Centre for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE Medicine), UCL Institute of Human Health and Performance, Ground Floor, Charterhouse Building, UCL Archway Campus, Highgate Hill, London, N19 5LW, UK

²Chelsea School, University of Brighton, Hillbrow, Denton Road, Eastbourne BN20 7SR, UK

author email corresponding author email

Critical Care 2007, 11:151doi:10.1186/cc5921


Published:	1 August 2007

Abstract

Caudwell Xtreme Everest (CXE) is a large healthy volunteer field study investigating human adaptation to environmental hypoxia. More than 200 individuals were studied at sea-level and in four laboratories on the trek to Everest Base Camp (5,300 m). Fifteen physicians climbed high on Everest and continued the studies as they ascended; eight of these individuals reached the summit of Everest and succeeded in sampling arterial blood at 8,400 m on their descent. Core measurements included cardiopulmonary exercise testing, neuropsychological assessment, near infra-red spectroscopy of brain and exercising muscle, blood markers and daily recording of simple physiological variables. The goal of CXE is to further our understanding of human adaptation to cellular hypoxia, a fundamental mechanism of injury in critical illness, with the aim of improving the care of critically ill patients.