“Lobuje Peak - Pyramid: Exploration and Physiology 2022” is the name of the scientific expedition in Nepal, coordinated by Prof. Vittore Verratti (a mountain medicine expert and physiologist at the “Gabriele d’Annunzio” University of Chieti – Pescara). The expedition included 21 participants of various ages, as well as doctors, researchers, and high-altitude Nepalese mountain guides.
The scientific focus of the expedition on Mount Everest was primarily to investigate human physiological adaptation to environmental conditions above 5,000 meters. This study aims to enhance our understanding of how the human body functions with reduced oxygen availability.
The project results from a collaboration between various Italian and international universities and research institutions, aimed at conducting high-altitude physiology and medicine studies in a unique location: the laboratory known as the “Pyramid of Desio” at the foot of Mount Everest, also called the Ev-K2-CNR Pyramid. This complex experimental study involves over 19 research groups supported by Italian and Nepalese hospitals (such as “Santissima Annunziata” in Chieti, “Santo Spirito” in Pescara, and “Omkar Polyclinic” in Kathmandu) dedicated to analyzing physiological parameters under extraordinary environmental conditions.
The Project
As part of the project, various experiments were conducted, primarily based on the collection of biological fluids. Muscle biopsies, blood samples, saliva, feces, urine, and male seminal fluid were collected. The studies spanned multiple areas, from cardiovascular and respiratory physiology to muscular and renal physiology. Additional studies were also carried out on male and female reproductive health, body composition, sleep, cardiorespiratory dynamics, and nutrition. Researchers sought to address physiological adaptations to high altitude while investigating “gender differences” by comparing the adaptive responses in both men and women.
In the context of the high-altitude scientific expedition “Lobuje Peak - Pyramid: Exploration and Physiology 2022,” researchers examined the human body’s physiological responses to reduced oxygen availability due to low atmospheric pressure. Key parameters analyzed included responses of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, variations in breathing patterns during sleep, and blood oxygenation levels.
At high altitudes, the body responds to hypoxemia—the reduction in blood oxygen levels—by increasing respiratory rate (hyperventilation) and heart rate to enhance oxygen transport. However, hyperventilation can lead to respiratory alkalosis by reducing carbon dioxide levels and altering blood pH, contributing to conditions like acute mountain sickness and high-altitude cerebral edema.
To prepare the participants, each individual underwent hypoxic testing before the expedition to assess their adaptive capacity. During the journey, a gradual acclimatization process was essential to reduce altitude-related risks, such as headaches, which were kept mild and transient thanks to careful planning and expert medical support.