Lower mortality rates in those living at moderate altitude

Burtscher, Martin

doi:10.18632/aging.101057

Cited by 14 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 8 publications

(31 reference statements)

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“…A recent publication cautioned the researchers against associating altitude to decreased COVID-19 pathogenicity based solely on altitude arguing factors such as population density, access to commodities, clinical care, and ability to "social distance" may all be contributing to the observed reduced pathogenicity (49). Health bene ts of communities living in high altitude is not new knowledge, with high altitude associated with higher levels of physical activity, lower rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer (50)(51)(52).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Altitude on Covid-19 Mortality in Ecuador: an Ecological Study

Campos

SCHEVECK

PARIKH

et al. 2021

Preprint

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BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has claimed nearly 900,000 lives worldwide and infected more than 27 million people. Researchers worldwide are studying ways to decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission and COVID-19 related deaths. Several studies found altitude having a negative association with both COVID-19 incidence and deaths. Ecuadorian data was used to explore the relationship between altitude and COVID-19. MethodsThis is an ecological study examining province-level data. To explore a relationship between altitude and COVID-19, this study utilized publicly available COVID-19 data and population statistics. ANOVA, correlation statistics, and a multivariate linear model explored the relationship between different Ecuadorian altitudes against incidence, mortality, and case-fatality rates. Populations statistics attributed to COVID-19 were included in the linear model to control for confounding factors. ResultsRegional differences were observed for incidence, mortality, and case fatality rate suggesting an association between altitude and SARS-CoV-2 transmission and COVID-19 disease severity. In both the correlation analysis and linear model altitude showed a statistically significant negative correlation between altitude and COVID-19 mortality. ConclusionAltitude may have an effect on COVID-19 mortality rates. More research is needed to understand why altitude may have a protective effect against COVID-19 mortality and how this may be applicable in a clinical setting.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Altitude on Covid-19 Mortality in Ecuador: an Ecological Study

Campos

SCHEVECK

PARIKH

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Epidemiological data from populations permanently residing at high-altitude strongly indicate that environmental factors differently impact the development of cardiovascular diseases, depending on the altitude. 17,18,23,24 While, for instance, lower mortality from cardiovascular diseases, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease was reported in high altitude regions in the Swiss 18 and Austrian 24 Alps and the western United States 17,18,24,25 318 pulmonary morbidities (eg, emphysema, COPD) seemed to increase in high altitude residents. 17,26 Thus, considering (patho) physiological responses to hypobaric altitude/ hypoxia, here we distinguish moderate altitude (1500 to 2500 m) 27 and high altitude from 2500 m to about 5000 m, the highest permanent human residence.…”

Section: Living At High Altitude: Epidemiological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Increasing altitude was associated with lower coronary heart disease and stroke mortality rates for both sexes in Switzerland 18 and lower mortality from coronary artery disease, male colorectal cancer and female breast cancer in Austria. 24 Faeh and colleagues reported respective 22% and 12% reductions in mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke per 1000 m gain in elevation. 18 Adjusted analysis revealed that the decreased mortality probably was not due to reductions in classic cardiovascular risk factors but instead might be explained by geographic factors like altitude/hypoxia and/or the effects of solar radiation on Vitamin D. Accordingly, the Austrian study revealed reductions of coronary artery disease mortality at 1000-2000 m vs <250 m of 28% in men and 31% in women.…”

Section: Mortality From Cardiovascular Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of High Altitude on Cardiovascular Health: Current Perspectives

Mallet

Burtscher

Richalet

et al. 2021

VHRM

Self Cite

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Globally, about 400 million people reside at terrestrial altitudes above 1500 m, and more than 100 million lowlanders visit mountainous areas above 2500 m annually. The interactions between the low barometric pressure and partial pressure of O 2 , climate, individual genetic, lifestyle and socio-economic factors, as well as adaptation and acclimatization processes at high elevations are extremely complex. It is challenging to decipher the effects of these myriad factors on the cardiovascular health in high altitude residents, and even more so in those ascending to high altitudes with or without preexisting diseases. This review aims to interpret epidemiological observations in high-altitude populations; present and discuss cardiovascular responses to acute and subacute high-altitude exposure in general and more specifically in people with preexisting cardiovascular diseases; the relations between cardiovascular pathologies and neurodegenerative diseases at altitude; the effects of high-altitude exercise; and the putative cardioprotective mechanisms of hypobaric hypoxia.

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“…However, in line with a recent review statement by Burtscher et al [48] there is currently a lack of available epidemiological data, which would allow a statistical factorial analysis to evaluate the impact of the level of physical activity, geographical location, and corresponding altitude on cancer-specific mortality. Of note, he recently reported a linear decline of age-standardized mortality rates for male colorectal cancer and female breast cancer with increasing altitude when analyzing data from the Austrian Mortality [166]. The potentially higher exercise capacity of people living at altitude was proposed, among other factors, to be responsible for the observed lower cancer mortality rate [166].…”

Section: Physical Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of note, he recently reported a linear decline of age-standardized mortality rates for male colorectal cancer and female breast cancer with increasing altitude when analyzing data from the Austrian Mortality [166]. The potentially higher exercise capacity of people living at altitude was proposed, among other factors, to be responsible for the observed lower cancer mortality rate [166]. Driven by the rising socio-economic burden of modern personalized drug-based cancer therapy [167] recent translational efforts across the spectrum from basic to clinical research are beginning to unravel the complex and multifactorial molecular mechanisms responsible for the overall beneficial effects of physical activity on cancer mortality [164].…”

Section: Physical Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced cancer mortality at high altitude: The role of glucose, lipids, iron and physical activity

Thiersch

Swenson

Haider

et al. 2017

Experimental Cell Research

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Residency at high altitude (HA) demands adaptation to challenging environmental conditions with hypobaric hypoxia being the most important one. Epidemiological and experimental data suggest that chronic exposure to HA reduces cancer mortality and lowers prevalence of metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity implying that adaption to HA modifies a broad spectrum of physiological, metabolic and cellular programs with a generally beneficial outcome for humans. However, the complexity of multiple, potentially tumor-suppressive pathways at HA impedes the understanding of mechanisms leading to reduced cancer mortality. Many adaptive processes at HA are tightly interconnected and thus it cannot be ruled out that the entirety or at least some of the HA-related alterations act in concert to reduce cancer mortality. In this review we discuss tumor formation as a concept of competition between healthy and cancer cells with improved fitness - and therefore higher competitiveness - of healthy cells at high altitude. We discuss HA-related changes in glucose, lipid and iron metabolism that may have an impact on tumorigenesis. Additionally, we discuss two parameters with a strong impact on tumorigenesis, namely drug metabolism and physical activity, to underpin their potential contribution to HA-dependent reduced cancer mortality. Future studies are needed to unravel why cancer mortality is reduced at HA and how this knowledge might be used to prevent and to treat cancer patients.

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Lower mortality rates in those living at moderate altitude

Cited by 14 publications

References 8 publications

Effect of Altitude on Covid-19 Mortality in Ecuador: an Ecological Study

Effect of Altitude on Covid-19 Mortality in Ecuador: an Ecological Study

Impact of High Altitude on Cardiovascular Health: Current Perspectives

Reduced cancer mortality at high altitude: The role of glucose, lipids, iron and physical activity

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