On May 22, the world's first randomized controlled clinical trial of equivalent low altitude building (plateau space station), led by the Xizang Plateau Medical Research Institute of the People's Hospital of the Xizang Autonomous Region and jointly completed by Railway Construction Heavy Industry, was the result of the paper "Equivalent low altitude building improves physiological adaptation at high altitude", which was officially published in the international authoritative interdisciplinary journal iScience volume 29 (International JCR District 1, Chinese Academy of Sciences District 2, 2025 impact factor 4.1), providing a top evidence-based basis for the intersection of plateau medicine and construction engineering.
The study was conducted in Lhasa at an altitude of 3658 meters from April 2023 to July 2024. Through randomized crossover experiments, it was confirmed that the high-altitude space station can accurately simulate a low altitude environment, significantly improve blood oxygen saturation, reduce hypoxia load, steadily lower blood pressure, improve high-altitude abnormal blood pressure rhythm, inhibit hemoglobin elevation, optimize sleep structure, maintain stable cardiopulmonary function, and have no adverse events throughout the entire process. The paper clearly points out that compared to traditional hyperbaric oxygen chambers and micro hyperbaric oxygen chambers, the lower pressure drop (8kPa, 15kPa) and comfortable environment of equivalent low altitude buildings ensure safety and physical adaptability, while maintaining effectiveness, making them more suitable for long-term residence and use. This provides an innovative non pharmacological and non oxygen absorbing medical engineering solution for protecting the health of high-altitude populations.
On November 29, 2025, the first "Expert Demonstration Meeting of Achievements in the Research Stage of Habitat Health Medicine for Plateau Equivalent Low Altitude Buildings" jointly sponsored by CRCC Heavy Industry and the People's Hospital of Xizang Autonomous Region (Xizang Plateau Medical Research Institute) was successfully held in Lhasa. In recent years, the CRCC Heavy Industry Plateau Space Station has been promoted and applied in Lhasa, Shigatse, Shannan, Naqu, Ali, Linzhi, Changdu, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Qinghai and other places in Xizang, and its market coverage continues to expand.
The expert verification and official publication of relevant research results marks the international authoritative academic certification of the clinical medical trial of China Railway Construction Heavy Industry's high-altitude space station, fully verifying the safety, effectiveness, and clinical value of the product in high-altitude environments, and providing solid and reliable medical basis and technical support for safeguarding the health of high-altitude populations and improving long-term residency quality.
