Health survey of wintering members of the 40th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition

Abstract

A health survey of members of the 40th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition was conducted. The subjects were 39 males and 1 female who underwent serial examinations for physical, hematological and sero-biochemical analyses, periodically, during the winter period between February 1999 and January 2000. Percent body fat mass and serum levels for triglyceride, calcium, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase increased significantly, compared to initial levels, during the wintering period. Further, at the start of the wintering period, significantly increased values were observed in levels of both serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatine kinase (CK). There were no great changes in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin; however, decreases in the number of white blood cells (WBC) and platelets were observed during this period. No deterioration in nutritional parameters during this period was observed in this party. Initial increases of AST and CK seemed to be induced by muscle fatigue due to over-work in repair and re-construction of the wintering station. Careful consideration should be paid to the difference in order to clarify the association between the reduction in the number of WBC and platelets, and impaired immunocompetence.