Thickened Retinal Nerve Fiber Layers Associated With High-Altitude Headache

• DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.864222
• Publication Date: 2022-05-04T07:41:05Z
• Authors: Xianhong Yin; Yi Li; Yanyun Ma; Yuan Xie; Kun Wang; Dayan Sun; Xiaoyu Liu; Meng Hao; Meng Liang; Shixuan Zhang; Yuan Guo; Li Jin; Ningli Wang; Jiucun Wang
• Keywords: high-altitude headache; 03 medical and health sciences; HAH; 0302 clinical medicine; RNFL; OCT; Physiology; retinal nerve fiber layer; QP1-981; headache

Purpose: This study aimed to quantify the different quadrants of optic nerve head (ONH) and macular parameters their changes during exposure high altitude, assess correlation with high-altitude headache (HAH). Methods: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used in retinal structure 109 healthy subjects acute altitude (3,700 m). Self-reported symptoms HAH mountain sickness AMS were assessed using Lake Louise Score (LLS), alongside measurements physiological (oxygen saturation [SpO 2 ], heart rate [HR], hemoglobin level [Hb], red blood cell [RBC] count). Measurements taken before after environment. The correlations these at ONH examined. Results: With incidence 44.0% frequency 67.0% (54.1% mild, 12.9% moderate-severe). As for systemic measured participants exhibited significantly lower SpO , higher resting HR, Hb, a RBC (all p < 0.05). Key stereometric describe [superior, inferior, nasal, temporal, mean fiber layer (RNFL) thickness] macula (macular thickness) increased compared baseline. Most changed, especially superior, RNFL thickness ( There significant between ratios [mean (r = 0.246, 0.01); inferior 0.216, 0.02); nasal 0.193, 0.04)]. No associations or LLS observed. Conclusion: environment can increase ONH. Furthermore, we found that thickness, area, area correlated positively HAH, which provides new insights understanding underlying pathological mechanisms retinopathy (HAR).