Application of Point-of-care Ultrasound for Screening Climbers at High Altitude for Pulmonary B-lines

High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) occurs as a result of rapid ascent to altitude faster than the acclimatization processes of the body. Symptoms can begin at an elevation of 2,500 meters above sea level. Our objective in this study was to determine the prevalence and trend of developing B-lines at 2,745 meters above sea level among healthy visitors over four consecutive days. We performed a prospective case series on healthy volunteers at Mammoth Mountain, CA, USA. Subjects underwent pulmonary ultrasound for B-lines over four consecutive days. We enrolled 21 male and 21 female participants. There was an increase in the sum of B-lines at both lung bases from day 1 to day 3, with a subsequent decrease from day 3 to day 4(P