Serum Aminotransferase Alteration Following Altitude Chamber Experience in Military Aircrew

Hypoxia is a serious threat in aviation. Aviators are trained in a type of hypobaric chamber (altitude chamber) in order to become familiar with the symptoms of hypoxia. This chamber simulates an altitude of 25,000 feet or more. Hypoxia could have an effect on various organs of the body, such as the liver. The purpose of this study was to investigate alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase alterations, as tissue damage markers, in aviators following altitude chamber experience. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 37 normal healthy male military aviators (age 22-43 years, height 165-192 cm and weight 63-105 kg) conducted in a hypobaric chamber. Total alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities were assayed in their serum, before and after altitude chamber experience, by the international federation of clinical chemistry (IFCC) method. Statistical analysis of a paired Student’s t-test was performed. The mean serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase (P = 0.001) and alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.014) were significantly increased following altitude chamber experience. Results suggest that subsequent to altitude chamber experience, there is a rise in the serum activities of aminotransferase.