Search

A 49-year-old male patient, an active case of sero positive rheumatoid arthritis involving multiple joints with bilateral necrobiotic pulmonary nodules is presented. Initial symptoms were of progressively increasing dyspnoea. The nodule in the right lung subsequently cavitated leading to pyopneumothorax. The diagnosis of rheumatoid lung was confirmed by post-mortem.

Twenty subjects each were rapidly inducted by road to 3200 ad 3771 m. Serum and urinary sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were measured during 10 d at high altitude. At 3200 m, only serum potassium increased significantly on the 10th day. At 3771 m, serum potassium did not increase. Serum sodium generally remained low, serum magnesium increased, while calcium decreased significantly. Urinary volume over 24 h decreased more and for longer duration at 3771 m than at 3200 m. Urinary cations did not change significantly at 3200 m. At 3771 m, sodium and potassium excretion decreased on days 1 and 3 later returned towards preinduction levels. Magnesium and calcium decreased throughout the high-altitude stay. Significant changes were noticed in serum and urinary cations on exposure to high altitude when adequate caloric intakes were not ensured.