Mountain rescue under the microscope: does thin air hurt patient care?
NCT ID NCT06446427
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at how being at high altitude (over 3,400 meters) affects the performance of highly trained medical rescuers. Twenty doctors performed simulated patient care scenarios at altitude, with and without extra oxygen, and after spending a night there. The goal was to see if altitude impairs their skills and whether oxygen or acclimatization helps.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- supplementary oxygen
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to better training and protocols for rescue teams working at high altitudes, improving patient safety.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with only 20 participants, so results may not apply broadly. It measures simulated scenarios, not real emergencies.
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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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Aug 2024
- Finished
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Jul 2025
- 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 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Medical doctors with certification and experience in preclinical emergency medicine, defined as (all must apply): * 2 or more years of training in anaesthesiology * 3 or more months of preclinical work * 50 or more cases as the lead preclinical physician with potential danger to the patient's life (with a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics score (NACA) of 4 or more) * A valid preclinical certification (Swiss "Notarztkurs" or similar) * Written informed consent to participate in the study Exclusion Criteria (none must apply): * Any medical condition known to place the participant at higher risk for hypoxia-induced adverse events (cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, otherwise). * Pre-acclimatisation to high altitude, defined as travel to above 2500 m in the 4 weeks previous to 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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Berner Simulations- und CPR-Zentrum BeSiC
Bern, 3010, Switzerland
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High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch
Bern, 3012, Switzerland
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a week at sea level ease the strain of High-Altitude living on the lungs?
- Can a short trip to sea level reset the lungs of high-altitude dwellers?