<div style="line-height: 150%">Rapid Improvement of High-altitude Sickness among Tunnel Construction Workers through a Gradual Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxic Acclimatization Technique</div>

Download: PDF (4673KB) HTML (1KB) Export: BibTeX or EndNote (RIS) Supporting Info

Abstract To reduce the risk of high-altitude sickness in tunnel construction workers operating on plateaus, a gradual and intermittent hypobaric hypoxic acclimatization technique was proposed. In a stratified randomized controlled trial, eight healthy lowland residents were randomly assigned to either a control group or a hypoxic exposure group. A hypobaric hypoxic chamber was used to simulate a gradient altitude environment ranging from 2,500 m to 5,000 m. A 7-day resting exposure protocol was applied with 3 hours of daily training under a stepwise ascending altitude scheme. The results show that this acclimatization approach significantly reduces the incidence rate and severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS) based on Lake Louise Score (LLS). Resting blood oxygen saturation increased by 6.98%, heart rate decreased by 17.24%, and the compensatory elevation in tidal volume (VT) recovered close to the baseline level at sea level. This short-term, 7-day acclimatization protocol overcomes the prolonged duration required by traditional staged acclimatization strategies and effectively satisfies acclimatization demands for high-altitude tunnel construction.

	Service

	Email this article
	Add to my bookshelf
	Add to citation manager
	Email Alert
	RSS
	Articles by authors
	QIU Jiewen1
	2 HUANG Cheng3 SU Ke4 ZHAO Shulei1
	2 GUO Chun1
	2

Keywords： High-altitude acclimatization Worker health Gradual intermittent hypoxic pre-acclimatization Hypobaric hypoxic chamber Tunnel construction

Abstract： To reduce the risk of high-altitude sickness in tunnel construction workers operating on plateaus, a gradual and intermittent hypobaric hypoxic acclimatization technique was proposed. In a stratified randomized controlled trial, eight healthy lowland residents were randomly assigned to either a control group or a hypoxic exposure group. A hypobaric hypoxic chamber was used to simulate a gradient altitude environment ranging from 2,500 m to 5,000 m. A 7-day resting exposure protocol was applied with 3 hours of daily training under a stepwise ascending altitude scheme. The results show that this acclimatization approach significantly reduces the incidence rate and severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS) based on Lake Louise Score (LLS). Resting blood oxygen saturation increased by 6.98%, heart rate decreased by 17.24%, and the compensatory elevation in tidal volume (VT) recovered close to the baseline level at sea level. This short-term, 7-day acclimatization protocol overcomes the prolonged duration required by traditional staged acclimatization strategies and effectively satisfies acclimatization demands for high-altitude tunnel construction.

Keywords： High-altitude acclimatization, Worker health, Gradual intermittent hypoxic pre-acclimatization, Hypobaric hypoxic chamber, Tunnel construction

Cite this article:

QIU Jiewen1, 2 HUANG Cheng3 SU Ke4 ZHAO Shulei1, 2 GUO Chun1 etc .

Rapid Improvement of High-altitude Sickness among Tunnel Construction Workers through a Gradual Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxic Acclimatization Technique

[J] MODERN TUNNELLING TECHNOLOGY, 2025,V62(5): 88-

URL:

http://www.xdsdjs.com/EN/ 或 http://www.xdsdjs.com/EN/Y2025/V62/I5/88