Variability in human plasma volume responses during high‐altitude sojourn

When sea‐level (SL) residents rapidly ascend to high altitude (HA), plasma volume (PV) decreases. A quantitative model for predicting individual %∆PV over the first 7 days at HA has recently been developed from the measurements of %∆PV in 393 HA sojourners. We compared the measured %∆PV with the %∆PV predicted by the model in 17 SL natives living 21 days at HA (4300 m). Fasting hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb) and total circulating protein (TCP) concentrations at SL and on days 2, 7, 13, and 19 at HA were used to calculate %∆TCP and %∆PV. Mean [95%CI] measured %∆PV on HA2, 7, 13 and 19 was −2.5 [−8.2, 3.1], −11.0 [−16.6, −5.5], −11.7 [−15.9, −7.4], and −16.8 [−22.2, −11.3], respectively. %∆PV and %∆TCP were positively correlated (P