A higher baseline somatization score at sea level as an independent predictor of acute mountain sickness

- Described novel epidemiology and characteristics of SCL-90 pre- and post-high-altitude exposure
- Identified the associations between SCL-90 factors and AMS
- Identified the predictive role of baseline somatization score for AMS
- Found associations between non-AMS-related symptoms and SCL-90 items

ObjectiveThe current study aimed to identify the predictive values of psychological factors that are evaluated by the Symptoms Checklist-90 (SCL-90) for acute mountain sickness (AMS).MethodsThe subjects (n = 285, non-acclimatized young Chinese men), who were recruited in July 2013, completed a case report questionnaire. In addition, their vital signs (heart rate [HR], blood pressure and pulse oxygen saturation) were measured, and their psychological factors were examined using the SCL-90 at sea level. AMS was diagnosed using the Lake Louise self-assessment scoring system in the morning of the second day after their arrival at 3450 m.ResultsOf the nine factors of the SCL-90, the AMS patients (AMS score ≥ 3) were characterized by significantly higher scores for baseline somatization [14.0 (5.0) vs. 13.0 (3.0), p < 0.001], obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety and hostility compared with the non-AMS group (all p values < 0.05). Spearman's correlation analyses revealed associations between AMS scores and somatization (r = 0.316, p < 0.001), depression, anxiety, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism scores (all p values < 0.001). Although all nine factors were associated with AMS in a univariate regression (all p < 0.05), a further adjusted logistic regression analysis indicated that only baseline somatization score (odds ratio = 1.129, p = 0.001) was an independent predictor of AMS. Furthermore, some non-AMS often-occurred symptoms (paresthesia, shortness of breath, reduced activity and tinnitus) were also found to be associated with the baseline SCL-90 scores.ConclusionAMS is correlated with the baseline somatization score at sea level, which was measured using the SCL-90. A higher baseline somatization score is also an independent predictor of AMS.