ArticleAnnals of thoracic medicine
Efficacy of acetazolamide for the prophylaxis of acute mountain sickness: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis of randomized clinical trials.
Article in Annals of thoracic medicine. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of antioxidant treatment in patients with acute mountain sickness induced by high altitude exposure.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness of voluntary isocapnic hyperpnoea for mitigating hypoxemia and acute mountain sickness in normobaric hypoxia: a randomized crossover pilot trial.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Prochlorperazine maleate versus placebo for the prophylaxis of acute mountain sickness: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.Journal of travel medicine · 2025Trial
- Normoxic brain endurance training is associated with cognitive and oculomotor performance during acute hypoxia.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of Ayurvedic Nutritional Supplements and Yoga Protocol in Reducing the Incidence and Severity of Acute Mountain Sickness (AYAMS Study): Study Protocol for an Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Time requirements of pre-acclimatization at simulated altitude to prevent acute mountain sickness.Journal of travel medicine · 2026Review
- Understanding the mechanistic and therapeutic perspectives on cytokines and chemokines in acute high-altitude illness syndromes.Journal of pharmaceutical analysis · 2025Review
- Article
- Safety and efficacy of electro-thumbtack needle for acute mountain sickness patients: a protocol of a randomized, single-blinded, and placebo-controlled study.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2024Article
- Progress in the Treatment of High Altitude Cerebral Edema: Targeting REDOX Homeostasis.Journal of inflammation research · 2023Review
- Variables Influencing the Pressure and Volume of the Pulmonary Circulation as Risk Factors for Developing High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- The combined use of acetazolamide andAnnals of translational medicine · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAcute mountain sickness (AMS) is a benign and self-limiting syndrome, but can progress to life-threatening conditions if leave untreated. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of acetazolamide for the prophylaxis of AMS, and disclose factors that affect the treatment effect of acetazolamide.
methodsRandomized controlled trials comparing the use of acetazolamide versus placebo for the prevention of AMS were included. The incidence of AMS was our primary endpoint. Meta-regression analysis was conducted to explore factors that associated with acetazolamide efficacy. Trial sequential analyses were conducted to estimate the statistical power of the available data.
resultsA total of 22 trials were included. Acetazolamide at 125, 250, and 375 mg/bid significantly reduced incidence of AMS compared to placebo. TAS indicated that the current evidence was adequate confirming the efficacy of acetazolamide at 125, 250, and 375 mg/bid in lowering incidence of AMS. There was no evidence of an association between efficacy and dose of acetazolamide, timing at start of acetazolamide treatment, mode of ascent, AMS assessment score, timing of AMS assessment, baseline altitude, and endpoint altitude.
conclusionAcetazolamide is effective prophylaxis for the prevention of AMS at 125, 250, and 375 mg/bid. Future investigation should focus on personal characteristics, disclosing the correlation between acetazolamide efficacy and body mass, height, degree of prior acclimatization, individual inborn susceptibility, and history of AMS.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.