Could a simple arm cuff replace bloodletting for high altitude disease?
NCT ID NCT07562464
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a device that temporarily stops blood flow to the arms in short cycles, aiming to help people with high altitude polycythemia — a condition where the body makes too many red blood cells at high altitudes. The trial will involve 222 adults living above 2,500 meters for over 6 months. Participants will either receive standard medication or add the device treatment twice daily for 90 days to see if it lowers hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- remote ischemic conditioning device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to reduce the need for blood removal in people with high altitude polycythemia.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with only 222 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The device may not work better than standard care, and some people may find the procedure uncomfortable.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 3
Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.
- Participants
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About 222 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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May 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Aged ≥18 years, of either sex; Continuous residence in a high-altitude region (≥2500 meters) for more than 6 months, with no plan for long-term departure from the plateau during the study period; Meeting the diagnostic criteria for high-altitude polycythemia; Willing to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: Other hematologic diseases, such as anemia or abnormal leukocytosis; Severe dysfunction of vital organs (e.g., heart, liver, kidney, lungs); Active malignancy, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, active autoimmune disease, or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus; Pregnancy, planned pregnancy, or lactation for female participants; Contraindications to RIC (e.g., severe peripheral arterial disease, venous thrombosis, or soft tissue injury in the upper limbs); Any other condition deemed by the investigator to be unsuitable for participation in the study.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.