Ambulatory physiological status monitoring during a mountaineering expedition

Objective: To evaluate an ambulatory physiological monitoring system during a mountaineering expedition, We hypothesized that the Environmental Sympto ms Questionnaire, combined with frequent measurement of oxygen saturation a nd core temperature, would accurately identify cases of environmental illne ss. Methods: Twelve military mountaineers took a daily Environmental Sympto ms Questionnaire, monitored fingertip oxygen saturations, and recorded core temperatures while climbing a 4,949-m peak. illnesses identified by the sy stem were compared with those identified by spontaneous reports. Results: T he system correctly identified one case of high-altitude pulmonary edema an d two illnesses that were not reported to the physician (one case of acute mountain sickness and one of self-limited symptomatic desaturation), Howeve r, it did not identify two illnesses that were severe enough to preclude fu rther climbing (one case of sinus headache and one of generalized fatigue). Conclusions: Our monitoring system may complement, but cannot replace, on- site medical personnel during mountaineering expeditions.