Can HAPE be diagnosed through the tongue?

Abstract

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is an acute illness with dramatic mamfestations in the lung that also affects all systems of the body. Hence, very careful observations are required to discover all of these manifestations. It is our observation that patients with HAPE frequently have ulcers on the tongue. The tongue appears white with one or more reddish colored ulcers that have rough irregular borders. It is non painful and without bleeding. The alterations of the mucosa of the tongue appear similar to geographic tongue. lt seems to be related to the severity of the HAPE, and disappears rapidly with oxygen treatment of the pulmonary edema. Over the past two years, we have seen 6 cases of HAPE of whom 4 presented with tongue ulcers. The other two cases 'tongues were pale white and could have formed ulcers had they not received oxygen therapy. The origin of the ulcers is unknown, although it has been hypothesized to be manifestation of viral infection, associated to peripheral vasoconstriction, and/or dehydration.