High-Altitude Neurodegeneration Cohort (HANC) Study

Sponsor
West China Hospital
Study ID
NCT07657520
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Multiple System Atrophy

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
40 Years - 75 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • No Intervention: Observational Cohort — OTHER
    No intervention; observation of altitude exposure and SpO₂ levels

Study Details

Chronic physiological hypoxia has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple system atrophy (MSA), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder of unknown etiology. This prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study (Phase II of the High-Altitude Neurodegeneration Cohort \[HANC\] study) aims to validate the association between chronic hypoxia exposure and incident MSA risk. A total of 20,000 Han Chinese participants aged 40-75 years will be enrolled from 23 sites across China spanning an altitude gradient from 4 m to 4,500 m. All participants will undergo standardized in-person assessment including questionnaires, physical examination, blood collection, and 3-night consecutive nocturnal pulse oximetry monitoring. Participants are to be followed for incident MSA over 12 months. The primary outcome is newly diagnosed MSA (probable or definite per Gilman consensus criteria), adjudicated by an independent panel of movement disorders specialists. Secondary outcomes include the association between altitude strata and MSA incidence, the association between mean nocturnal SpO₂ and MSA incidence, and incidence rates across MSA subtypes (MSA-P and MSA-C).

Key Dates

First listed
Jun 18, 2026
Start date
Jun 13, 2026
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Jul 30, 2027
Completion
Jul 30, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
20,000 participants (estimated)

Arms

  • Arm: GROUP_1_Lowland (<500 m)
    Participants residing at altitudes below 500 meters. Enrollment sites include Shanghai (4 m), Guangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, Nanjing, and Zhengzhou.
  • Arm: GROUP_2_Intermediate (500-2,000 m)
    Participants residing at altitudes between 500 and 2,000 meters. Enrollment sites include Kunming (1,890 m), Guiyang (1,100 m), Lanzhou (1,520 m), Yinchuan (1,100 m), Xi'an (400 m - borderline, verify), Chengdu (500 m), and Chongqing (240 m).
  • Arm: GROUP_3_Highland (2,000-3,500 m)
    Participants residing at altitudes between 2,000 and 3,500 meters. Enrollment sites include Xining (2,295 m), Golog (3,700 m - verify), Haixi (2,980 m), Yushu (3,700 m), and Ganzi (3,400 m).
  • Arm: GROUP_4_Extreme Altitude (>3,500 m)
    Participants residing at altitudes above 3,500 meters. Enrollment sites include Lhasa (3,656 m), Nagqu (4,500 m), and Ali (4,500 m).

Primary Outcome Measure

Incidence of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) at 12 Months [ Time Frame: Baseline to Month 12 ]

Central Contacts

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