Sustained microgravity reduces the human ventilatory response to hypoxia but not to hypercapnia

2000 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 1421-1430 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Kim Prisk ◽  
Ann R. Elliott ◽  
John B. West

We measured the isocapnic hypoxic ventilatory response and the hypercapnic ventilatory response by using rebreathing techniques in five normal subjects (ages 37–47 yr) before, during, and after 16 days of exposure to microgravity (μG). Control measurements were performed with the subjects in the standing and supine postures. In both μG and in the supine position, the hypoxic ventilatory response, as measured from the slope of ventilation against arterial O2 saturation, was greatly reduced, being only 46 ± 10% (μG) and 52 ± 11% (supine) of that measured standing ( P < 0.01). During the hypercapnic ventilatory response test, the ventilation at a[Formula: see text] of 60 Torr was not significantly different in μG (101 ± 5%) and the supine position (89 ± 3%) from that measured standing. Inspiratory occlusion pressures agreed with these results. The findings can be explained by inhibition of the hypoxic but not hypercapnic drive, possibly as a result of an increase in blood pressure in carotid baroreceptors in μG and the supine position.

1988 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 1050-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Filuk ◽  
D. J. Berezanski ◽  
N. R. Anthonisen

In nine normal subjects we measured the ventilatory response to isocapnic hypoxia with and without an intravenous infusion of 1 mg of somatostatin. Arterial O2 saturation was rapidly lowered to 80 +/- 2% in 2 min and maintained for 30 min. During control experiments, ventilation increased immediately (3-5 min) and then declined so that at 25 min of hypoxia ventilation was little above that in room air. Somatostatin was associated with a small decrease in ventilation while the subjects breathed room air. With hypoxia there was no immediate increase in ventilation for the group as a whole, although an increase was observed in one subject. With somatostatin, after 25 min of hypoxia, mean ventilation was lower than at any other time in the study; as hypoxia was discontinued ventilation increased slightly. Somatostatin causes profound depression of the ventilatory response to hypoxia by a mechanism that is not known but may be central. With somatostatin hypoxia of 25-min duration tends to depress ventilation.


1977 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 971-976 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Riley ◽  
B. A. Legawiec ◽  
T. V. Santiago ◽  
N. H. Edelman

Hypercapnic and hypoxic ventilatory responses were serially measured in nine normal subjects given 3.9 g aspirin (ASA) per day for 9 days. Minute ventilation (VE), end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (PETCO2), venous bicarbonate concentration [HCO3-], oxygen consumption (VO2), hypercapnic ventilatory response (deltaVE/deltaPCO2), and isocapnic hypoxic ventilatory response (A) were determined before, 2 h after the first dose, and at 72-h intervals during the next 14 days. Serum salicylate levels averaged 18.6 +/- 2.0 mg/dl. VE increased (P less than 0.05, PETCO2 decreased (P less than 0.05), and [HCO3-] did not change significantly during drug ingestion. deltaVE/deltaPCO2 increased gradually to a value 37% greater than control by day 3 and remained constant (P less 0.01). A increased by 251% and VO2 by 18% within 2 h and remained constant for the remainder of the ASA period (P less than 0.01). All values returned to base line within 24 h following cessation of ASA. We conclude that during continuous ASA ingestion there is a gradual increase of hypercapnic ventilatory response. This may reflect slow entrance of ASA into the central nervous system. In contrast, there is a rapid rise in hypoxic ventilatory response which may be mechanically linked to changes in metabolic rate.


1978 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 971-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
George D. Swanson ◽  
Brian J. Whipp ◽  
Robert D. Kaufman ◽  
Kamel A. Aqleh ◽  
Benjamin Winter ◽  
...  

Steplike end-tidal hypoxic drives (Petcoco2, = 53 Torr) lasting for 5 min were generated in a group of normal subjects and a group of carotid body-resected subjects when end-tidal CO2, was maintained constant under eucapnic (Petcoco2 = 39 Torr) and hypercapnic (Petcoco2 = 49 Torr) conditions. The hypoxic ventilatory response of the normal subjects was prompt and significant in eucapnia and was enhanced in the hypercapnic state, evidencing CO2-O2 interaction. In contrast, the carotid body-resected subjects did not respond to eucapnic hypoxia but did demonstrate a small but significant ventilatory response to hypoxia against the hypercapnic background. This suggests that the aortic bodies in man may contribute a small component of the hypoxic ventilatory drive under hypercapnic conditions, although the possibility of neuromalike ending regeneration cannot be excluded.


2000 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. 1924-1932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Zhang ◽  
Peter A. Robbins

Measurement of the acute hypoxic ventilatory response (AHVR) requires careful choice of the hypoxic stimulus. If the stimulus is too brief, the response may be incomplete; if the stimulus is too long, hypoxic ventilatory depression may ensue. The purpose of this study was to compare three different techniques for assessing AHVR, using different hypoxic stimuli, and also to examine the between-day variability in AHVR. Ten subjects were studied, each on six different occasions, which were ≥1 wk apart. On each occasion, AHVR was assessed using three different protocols: 1) protocol SW, which uses square waves of hypoxia; 2) protocol IS, which uses incremental steps of hypoxia; and 3) protocol RB, which simulates an isocapnic rebreathing test. Mean values for hypoxic sensitivity were 1.02 ± 0.48, 1.15 ± 0.55, and 0.93 ± 0.60 (SD) l ⋅ min− 1 ⋅ %− 1for protocols SW, IS, and RB, respectively. These differed significantly ( P < 0.01). The coefficients of variation for measurement of AHVR were 20, 23, and 36% for the three protocols, respectively. These were not significantly different. There was a significant physiological variation in AHVR ( F 50,100 = 3.9, P < 0.001), with a coefficient of variation of 26%. We conclude that there was relatively little systematic variation between the three protocols but that AHVR varies physiologically over time.


2016 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline K. Limberg ◽  
Blair D. Johnson ◽  
Walter W. Holbein ◽  
Sushant M. Ranadive ◽  
Michael T. Mozer ◽  
...  

Human studies use varying levels of low-dose (1-4 μg·kg−1·min−1) dopamine to examine peripheral chemosensitivity, based on its known ability to blunt carotid body responsiveness to hypoxia. However, the effect of dopamine on the ventilatory responses to hypoxia is highly variable between individuals. Thus we sought to determine 1) the dose response relationship between dopamine and peripheral chemosensitivity as assessed by the ventilatory response to hypoxia in a cohort of healthy adults, and 2) potential confounding cardiovascular responses at variable low doses of dopamine. Young, healthy adults ( n = 30, age = 32 ± 1, 24 male/6 female) were given intravenous (iv) saline and a range of iv dopamine doses (1–4 μg·kg−1·min−1) prior to and throughout five hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) tests. Subjects initially received iv saline, and after each HVR the dopamine infusion rate was increased by 1 μg·kg−1·min−1. Tidal volume, respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation were continuously measured. Dopamine significantly reduced HVR at all doses ( P < 0.05). When subjects were divided into high ( n = 13) and low ( n = 17) baseline chemosensitivity, dopamine infusion (when assessed by dose) reduced HVR in the high group only ( P < 0.01), with no effect of dopamine on HVR in the low group ( P > 0.05). Dopamine infusion also resulted in a reduction in blood pressure (3 μg·kg−1·min−1) and total peripheral resistance (1–4 μg·kg−1·min−1), driven primarily by subjects with low baseline chemosensitivity. In conclusion, we did not find a single dose of dopamine that elicited a nadir HVR in all subjects. Additionally, potential confounding cardiovascular responses occur with dopamine infusion, which may limit its usage.


1971 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Eisele ◽  
Sushil K. Jain

1. The respiratory and circulatory effects of bilateral block of the IXth and Xth cranial nerves (IX and X) with local anaesthetic were studied in two subjects with obstructive airways disease (asthma). 2. In one subject bilateral block of IX and X decreased alveolar ventilation as evidenced by a rise in Pa,co2 and a fall in Pa,o2. There was no apparent ventilatory change in the other subject. The lung volumes (ERV and FRC) were unaffected by the block; however, the forced vital capacity and 1 s forced expired volume were slightly improved in both subjects. 3. During bilateral IX and X block neither subject showed a ventilatory response after 3 min of breathing 8·7% O2 in 91·3% N2. In one subject during a left-sided IX and X block, there was a normal hypoxic-ventilatory increase, whereas during a right-sided IX and X block the hypoxic-ventilatory response was slightly less than normal. 4. Unilateral IX and X block in both subjects produced tachycardia and hypertension which was approximately one half the increased heart rate and blood pressure that followed bilateral IX and X blockade. 5. Unlike the control responses, breathing 8·7% O2 in 91·3% N2 during bilateral IX and X block produced no change in heart rate and there was a continuous fall in the systemic blood pressure. The pulmonary arterial pressure, however, increased in response to hypoxia in the same manner as before the block.


1975 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 965-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Rebuck ◽  
E. F. Juniper

Ventilatory responses to hypoxia, with and without an inspiratory resistive load, were measured in eight normal subjects, using a rebreathing technique. During the studies, the end-tidal P-CO2 was kept constant at mixed venous level (Pv-CO2) by drawing expired gas through a variable CO2-absorbing bypass. The initial bag O2 concentration was 24% and rebreathing was continued until the O2 concentration in the bag fell to 6% or the subject's arterial oxygen saturation (Sa-O2), monitored continuously by ear oximetry, fell to 70%. Studies with and without the load were performed in a formally randomized order for each subject. Linear regressions for rise in ventilation against fall in Sa-O2 were calculated. The range of unloaded responses was 0.78–3.59 1/min per 1% fall in Sa-O2 and loaded responses 0.37–1.68 1/min per 1% fall in Sa-O2. In each subject, the slope of the response curve during loading fell by an almost constant fraction of the unloaded response, such that the ratio of loaded to unloaded slope in all subjects ranged from 0.41 to 0.48. However, the extrapolated intercept of the response curve on the Sa-O2 axis did not alter significantly indicating that the P-CO2 did not alter between experiments. These results suggest that the change in ventilatory response to hypoxia during inspiratory resistive loading is related to the mechanical load applied, with the loaded slope being directly proportional to the unloaded one.


1994 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 1006-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Huang ◽  
C. Suguihara ◽  
D. Hehre ◽  
J. Lin ◽  
E. Bancalari

Brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels increase during hypoxia, which may modulate the ventilatory response to hypoxia. To test the possibility that the depressed neonatal ventilatory response to hypoxia may be related to increased central nervous system GABA activity, 26 sedated spontaneously breathing newborn piglets (age 5 +/- 1 day, wt 1.7 +/- 0.4 kg) were studied. Minute ventilation (VE), oxygen consumption, heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and arterial blood gases were measured in room air and after 1, 5, and 10 min of hypoxia (inspired O2 fraction 0.10) before drug intervention. Immediately after these measurements, an infusion of saline or the GABA alpha-receptor blocker (bicuculline, 0.3 mg/kg iv) or beta-receptor blocker (CGP-35348, 100–300 mg/kg iv) was administered while animals were hypoxic. All measurements were repeated at 1, 5, and 10 min after initiation of the drug infusion. Basal VE was similar among groups. During hypoxia, VE increased significantly in the animals that received either a GABA alpha- or beta-receptor blocker but not in those receiving saline. Changes in arterial Po2, oxygen consumption, heart rate, and arterial blood pressure were similar among groups before and after saline or GABA antagonist infusion. These results suggest that the decrease in ventilation during the biphasic ventilatory response to hypoxia in the neonatal piglet is in part mediated through the depressant effect of GABA on the central nervous system.


2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 681-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina P. Aleksandrova ◽  
Galina A. Danilova ◽  
Viacheslav G. Aleksandrov

We investigated the effect of the major inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) on the ventilatory response to hypoxia. The goal was to test the hypothesis that IL-1β impairs the hypoxic ventilatory response in vivo by indirectly inhibiting respiratory neurons in the brainstem via prostaglandins. Thus, IL-1β was delivered by cerebroventricular injection, and the ventilatory hypoxic response was assessed in anesthetized, spontaneously breathing rats pretreated with or without diclofenac, a nonspecific inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis. We found that the slope of the ventilatory response to hypoxia decreased almost 2-fold from 10.4 ± 3.02 to 4.06 ± 0.86 mL·min−1·(mm Hg)−1 (–61%) 90 min after administration of IL-1β (p < 0.05). The slope of tidal volume and mean inspiratory flow also decreased from 0.074 ± 0.02 to 0.039 ± 0.01 mL·(mm Hg)−1 (–45%, p < 0.05), and from 0.36 ± 0.07 to 0.2 ± 0.04 mL·s−1·(mm Hg)−1 (–46%, p < 0.05), respectively. Pretreatment with diclofenac blocked these effects. Thus, the data indicate that IL-1β degrades the ventilatory hypoxic response by stimulating production of prostaglandin. The increase of cerebral levels of IL-1β, which is induced by the activation of immune cells in the brain, may impair respiratory chemoreflexes.


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