Table 3.
The effect of dexamethasone and acetazolamide on biomarkers
| Time at Altitude |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preascent (1,609 m) |
Altitude (4,875 m) |
|||||
| Variable | Drug | AMS Status | −15 h | 4 h | 9 h | Time |
| Anti-inflammatory or anti-permeability factors | ||||||
| IL-10, pg/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 67.5 ± 22.9 | 81.5 ± 27.1 | 59.8 ± 24.8 | NS |
| AMS·R | 51.5 ± 20.2 | 20.3 ± 22.6 | 13.0 ± 26.1 | NS | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 123.6 ± 64.3 | 104.6 ± 52.5 | 69.5 ± 45.5 | NS | |
| AMS·R | 13.4 ± 4.0 | 18.8 ± 4.6 | 12.0 ± 4.6 | NS | ||
| Proinflammatory biomarkers | ||||||
| IL-6, pg/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 21.3 ± 9.5 | 26.7 ± 7.4 | 25.1 ± 8.2 | NS |
| AMS·R | 11.1 ± 6.0 | 22.3 ± 4.3 | 15.9 ± 5.2 | NS | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 30.6 ± 31.0 | 51.0 ± 17.9 | 34.9 ± 15.5 | NS | |
| AMS·R | 21.7 ± 10.5 | 36.3 ± 7.9 | 44.5 ± 8.5* | NS | ||
| IL-8, pg/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 41.0 ± 9.1 | 51.8 ± 9.7 | 46.7 ± 9.7 | NS |
| AMS·R | 33.1 ± 5.9 | 41.0 ± 5.9 | 33.6 ± 6.3 | NS | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 34.3 ± 14.5 | 48.3 ± 14.5 | 48.9 ± 14.5 | NS | |
| AMS·R | 35.4 ± 8.3 | 45.8 ± 8.3 | 38.6 ± 8.3 | NS | ||
| Angiogenic and chemotactic factors | ||||||
| VEGF, pg/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 153.6 ± 51.4 | 163.6 ± 51.4 | 112.3 ± 44.5 | NS |
| AMS·R | 33.7 ± 11.3 | 47.1 ± 12.4 | 38.6 ± 11.3 | NS | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 89.5 ± 32.6 | 113.5 ± 32.6 | 106.4 ± 31.4 | NS | |
| AMS·R | 69.9 ± 17.0 | 53.8 ± 17.0 | 54.6 ± 17.0 | NS | ||
| TNF-α, pg/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 4.1 ± 1.2* | 5.0 ± 1.2* | 6.2 ± 1.2* | NS |
| AMS·R | 6.2 ± 0.7* | 5.3 ± 0.7* | 4.1 ± 0.9* | NS | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 4.4 ± 0.5* | 5.5 ± 7.4 | 4.2 ± 0.5* | NS | |
| AMS·R | 5.4 ± 1.1* | 4.7 ± 1.2* | 5.4 ± 1.1* | NS | ||
| MCP-1, pg/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 107.7 ± 13.6* | 92.1 ± 14.5* | 83.8 ± 13.6* | NS |
| AMS·R | 113.5 ± 15.6* | 106.7 ± 15.6* | 114.8 ± 15.6* | NS | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 139.1 ± 36.3 | 166.1 ± 41.9 | 217.8 ± 36.3 | NS | |
| AMS·R | 189.2 ± 32.9 | 197.5 ± 32.9 | 152.7 ± 32.9 | NS | ||
| MIP-1, pg/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 448.3 ± 50.9 | 436.4 ± 54.4* | 381.9 ± 50.9 | NS |
| AMS·R | 376.0 ± 64.4 | 340.5 ± 60.2 | 373.3 ± 60.2 | NS | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 448.3 ± 50.9 | 436.4 ± 54.4 | 381.9 ± 50.9 | NS | |
| AMS·R | 412.2 ± 63.3 | 418.1 ± 63.3 | 407.2 ± 63.3 | NS | ||
| MMP-9, ng/ml | Dexamethasone | AMS·S | 522.9 ± 86.8* | 752.1 ± 86.8 | 760.5 ± 86.8* | NS |
| AMS·R | 434.8 ± 105.9 | 554.1 ± 91.7 | 755.0 ± 92.0* | † | ||
| Acetazolamide | AMS·S | 392.3 ± 102.3 | 483.9 ± 114.4 | 654.6 ± 102.3 | NS | |
| AMS·R | 284.2 ± 89.5 | 271.7 ± 89.5 | 606.8 ± 89.5 | * | ||
Values are estimated marginal means ± SE. Significant difference or trends between placebo and drug at each sampling interval are denoted by
*
P < 0.05,
†
0.05 < P < 0.10.