Table 2.

Time course of physiological and hematological variables during chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (n = 100).

	M0 (SL)	M0 (HA)	M1	M4	M6	p
Oxygen saturation [%]	98.1 ± 0.7	83.8 ± 5.4*	90.0 ± 4.5	90.3 ± 3.6	89.6 ± 5.0	<0.001
Hematocrit [%]	45.0 ± 1.7	n.d.	47.3 ± 2.4*	49.0 ± 2.7*	48.5 ± 2.4*	<0.001
Hemoglobin [mg/dl]	15.0 ± 0.7	n.d.	15.6 ± 0.8*	16.2 ± 0.9*	16.1 ± 0.8*	<0.001
LLS	n.a.	3.1 ± 2.4	3.0 ± 2.6	1.7 ± 2.0#	1.4 ± 2.0#	<0.001
AMS [%]	n.a.	53	47	24#	20#	<0.001
Systolic blood pressure [mm Hg]	111.9 ± 10.7	118.6 ± 13.4*	100.0 ± 8.3#	108.7 ± 8.4#	108.9 ± 8.5#	<0.001
Diastolic blood pressure [mm Hg]	71.5 ± 7.9	73.5 ± 9.7	64.2 ± 5.8#	68.3 ± 7.2#	70.2 ± 8.3	<0.001
Heart rate [1/min]	74.3 ± 11.2	104.3 ± 18.9*	87.3 ± 13.0#	76.3 ± 10.6#	75.4 ± 9.8#	<0.001

All measurements were taken at high altitude, except at month 0 (M0), when separate measurements were taken at sea level (before the first ascent to high altitude; SL) and at high altitude (HA). * Statistical significance for difference versus M0 (SL); ^# Statistical significance for difference versus M0 (HA) with Dunn’s multiple comparisons test; p denotes the overall p-value of Kruskal-Wallis test between measurements. All data are given as mean ± standard deviation. Abbreviations: M0, month 0; M1, month 1; M4, month 4; M6, month 6; LLS, Lake Louise Score; AMS, prevalence of acute mountain sickness; n.a., not applicable; n.d, not determined.