INFLAMMATORY PROCESSES MAY PREDISPOSE CHILDREN TO HIGH-ALTITUDE PULMONARY-EDEMA

We investigated retrospectively whether the preexistence of inflammati on-producing illnesses such as viral respiratory tract infections cont ributed to the development od high-altitude pulmonary edema in childre n, We found that the large majority of native low-altitude children, b eet not adults, who had this form of edema after traveling to high alt itude also had evidence of a preexisting illness. We speculate that th e release of inflammatory mediators associated with these illnesses ma y be tolerated at sea level but may predispose children to increased c apillary permeability when superimposed on hypoxia and, possibly, cold and exercise.