Selected Contribution: High-altitude natives living at sea level acclimatize to high altitude like sea-level natives

2003 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 1263-1268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rivera-Ch ◽  
Alfredo Gamboa ◽  
Fabiola León-Velarde ◽  
Jose-Antonio Palacios ◽  
David F. O'Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Air Breathing ◽  
High Altitude Natives ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Ventilatory Response To Hypoxia

Sea-level (SL) natives acclimatizing to high altitude (HA) increase their acute ventilatory response to hypoxia (AHVR), but HA natives have values for AHVR below those for SL natives at SL (blunting). HA natives who live at SL retain some blunting of AHVR and have more marked blunting to sustained (20-min) hypoxia. This study addressed the question of what happens when HA natives resident at SL return to HA: do they acclimatize like SL natives or revert to the characteristics of HA natives? Fifteen HA natives resident at SL were studied, together with 15 SL natives as controls. Air-breathing end-tidal Pco 2 and AHVR were determined at SL. Subjects were then transported to 4,300 m, where these measurements were repeated on each of the following 5 days. There were no significant differences in the magnitude or time course of the changes in end-tidal Pco 2 and AHVR between the two groups. We conclude that HA natives normally resident at SL undergo ventilatory acclimatization to HA in the same manner as SL natives.

Time course of augmentation and depression of hypoxic ventilatory responses at altitude

1994 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 313-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sato ◽  
J. W. Severinghaus ◽  
P. Bickler
Keyword(s):  
Pulse Oximetry ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Barometric Pressure ◽  
Hypoxic Ventilatory Response ◽  
Set Point ◽  
Ventilatory Responses ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Arterial O2 Saturation

Hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) and hypoxic ventilatory depression (HVD) were measured in six subjects before, during, and after 12 days at 3,810-m altitude (barometric pressure approximately 488 Torr) with and without 15 min of preoxygenation. HVR was tested by 5-min isocapnic steps to 75% arterial O2 saturation measured by pulse oximetry (Spo2) at an isocapnic PCO2 (P*CO2) chosen to set hyperoxic resting ventilation to 140 ml.kg-1.min-1. Hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR, 1.min-1.Torr-1) was tested at ambient and high SPO2 6–8 min after a 6- to 10-Torr step increase of end-tidal PCO2 (PETCO2) above P*CO2. HCVR was independent of preoxygenation and was not significantly increased at altitude (when corrected to delta logPCO2). Preoxygenated HVR rose from -1.13 +/- 0.23 (SE) l.min-1.%SPO2(-1) at sea level to -2.17 +/- 0.13 by altitude day 12, without reaching a plateau, and returned to control after return to sea level for 4 days. Ambient HVR was measured at P*CO2 by step reduction of SPO2 from its ambient value (86–91%) to approximately 75%. Ambient HVR slope was not significantly less, but ventilation at equal levels of SPO2 and PCO2 was lower by 13.3 +/- 2.4 l/min on day 2 (SPO2 = 86.2 +/- 2.3) and by 5.9 +/- 3.5 l/min on day 12 (SPO2 = 91.0 +/- 1.5; P < 0.05). This lower ventilation was estimated (from HCVR) to be equivalent to an elevation of the central chemoreceptor PCO2 set point of 9.2 +/- 2.1 Torr on day 2 and 4.5 +/- 1.3 on day 12.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Control of ventilation in climbers to extreme altitude

1982 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 886-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Schoene
Keyword(s):  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Distance Runners ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Response Parameter ◽  
Extreme Altitude ◽  
Progressive Hypoxia ◽  
High Altitude Natives ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Adequate Oxygenation ◽  
Ventilatory Response To Hypoxia

Blunted chemosensitivity has been found in successful endurance athletes and some high-altitude natives. This characteristic, however, may not be beneficial to climbers at extreme altitude, where a vigorous ventilatory response to hypoxia may be of value in enhancing alveolar and arterial oxygenation. We studied 14 climbers who had climbed to 7,470 m or higher, 10 age-matched controls, and 10 outstanding middle- and long-distance runners. The ventilatory response to progressive hypoxia was determined at a constant, normal end-tidal Pco2 over 8–12 min and to CO2 by rebreathing a 7% CO2 hyperoxic mixture (Read technique). The hypoxic response parameter of Weil, A was used to determine the hypoxic responses and S (delta VE/ delta PACO2) the hypercapnic response. Climbers had A values significantly higher than the runners (means +/- SE: 158.9 +/- 29.9 vs. 49.3 +/- 7.1, P less than 0.001) but not significantly higher than the controls (109.9 +/- 21.0). delta VE/ delta PACO2 of climbers was higher (3.0 +/- 0.4) than both controls (2.2 +/- 0.2, P less than 0.025) and runners (1.4 +/- 0.2, P less than 0.0005). These data suggest that successful climbers to extreme altitude may be selected by virtue of their vigorous respiratory responses to hypoxia to maintain adequate oxygenation in the presence of extreme environmental hypoxia.

Effects of a 1-yr stay at altitude on ventilation, metabolism, and work capacity

1992 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 1749-1755 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. V. Serebrovskaya ◽  
A. A. Ivashkevich
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Separate Analysis ◽  
Group Iii ◽  
Group I ◽  
Ventilatory Drive ◽  
Group Ii ◽  
End Tidal

The hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory drive, gas exchange, blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations, acid-base balance, and physical working capacity were determined in three groups of healthy males: 17 residents examined at sea level (group I), 24 sea-level natives residing at 1,680-m altitude for 1 yr and examined there (group II), and 17 sea-level natives residing at 3,650-m altitude for 1 yr and examined there (group III). The piecewise linear approximation technique was used to study the ventilatory response curves, which allowed a separate analysis of slopes during the first phase of slow increase in ventilation and the second phase of sharp increase. The hypoxic ventilatory response for both isocapnic and poikilocapnic conditions was greater in group II and even greater in group III. The first signs of consciousness distortion in sea-level residents appeared at an end-tidal O2 pressure level (4.09 +/- 0.56 kPa) higher than that of temporary residents of middle (3.05 +/- 0.12) and high altitude (2.90 +/- 0.07). The hypercapnic response was also increased, although to a lesser degree. Subjects with the highest hypoxic respiratory sensitivity at high altitude demonstrated greater O2 consumption at rest, greater ventilatory response to exercise, higher physical capacity, and a less pronounced anaerobic glycolytic flux but a lower tolerance to extreme hypoxia. That is, end-tidal O2 pressure that caused a distortion of the consciousness was higher in these subjects than in those with lower hypoxic sensitivity. Two extreme types of adaptation strategy can be distinguished: active, with marked reactions of “struggle for oxygen,” and passive, with reduced O2 metabolism, as well as several intermediate types.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Selected Contribution: Acute and sustained ventilatory responses to hypoxia in high-altitude natives living at sea level

2003 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 1255-1262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Gamboa ◽  
Fabiola León-Velarde ◽  
Maria Rivera-Ch ◽  
Jose-Antonio Palacios ◽  
Timothy R. Pragnell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Confidence Interval ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Hypoxic Exposure ◽  
Ventilatory Responses ◽  
High Altitude Natives ◽  
Ventilatory Depression ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Sustained Hypoxia

High-altitude (HA) natives have blunted ventilatory responses to hypoxia (HVR), but studies differ as to whether this blunting is lost when HA natives migrate to live at sea level (SL), possibly because HVR has been assessed with different durations of hypoxic exposure (acute vs. sustained). To investigate this, 50 HA natives (>3,500 m, for >20 yr) now resident at SL were compared with 50 SL natives as controls. Isocapnic HVR was assessed by using two protocols: protocol 1, progressive stepwise induction of hypoxia over 5–6 min; and protocol 2, sustained (20-min) hypoxia (end-tidal Po 2 = 50 Torr). Acute HVR was assessed from both protocols, and sustained HVR from protocol 2. For HA natives, acute HVR was 79% [95% confidence interval (CI): 52–106%, P = not significant] of SL controls for protocol 1 and 74% (95% CI: 52–96%, P < 0.05) for protocol 2. By contrast, sustained HVR after 20-min hypoxia was only 30% (95% CI: −7–67%, P < 0.001) of SL control values. The persistent blunting of HVR of HA natives resident at SL is substantially less to acute than to sustained hypoxia, when hypoxic ventilatory depression can develop.

Alveolar P CO 2 and P O 2 of high-altitude natives living at sea level

1996 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 1605-1609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiola León-Velarde ◽  
Manuel Vargas ◽  
Carlos Monge-C. ◽  
Robert W. Torrance ◽  
Peter A. Robbins
Keyword(s):  
Confidence Interval ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Average Difference ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
High Altitude Natives ◽  
End Tidal

León-Velarde, Fabiola, Manuel Vargas, Carlos Monge-C., Robert W. Torrance, and Peter A. Robbins. Alveolar[Formula: see text] and[Formula: see text] of high-altitude natives living at sea level. J. Appl. Physiol. 81(4): 1605–1609, 1996.—This study was designed to determine whether subjects born at high altitude (HA; 2,000 m or above) who subsequently move to near sea level (SL) develop end-tidal [Formula: see text]([Formula: see text]) and[Formula: see text]([Formula: see text]) values that equal those of SL natives living near SL. A total of 108 male HA natives living near SL were identified by survey of a district in Lima, Peru, and a further 108 male SL natives from the same district were identified as control subjects. Of these subjects, satisfactory data for inclusion in the study were obtained from 93 HA and 82 SL subjects. Mean [Formula: see text] and[Formula: see text] values were 37.7 ± 2.5 (SD) and 104.7 ± 3.2 Torr, respectively, in HA subjects and 37.7 ± 2.2 and 104.8 ± 3.0 Torr, respectively, in SL subjects. The average difference between SL natives and HA natives for[Formula: see text] was 0.07 Torr (−0.64 to 0.78; 95% confidence interval) and for[Formula: see text] was 0.05 Torr (−0.89 to 0.99, 95% confidence interval). The average age and weight of the SL and HA subjects did not differ, but the HA subjects were shorter and tended to have larger vital capacities, consistent with their origin at HA. We conclude that the[Formula: see text] and[Formula: see text] near SL of SL natives and HA natives do not differ.

Selected Contribution: Peripheral chemoreflex function in high-altitude natives and patients with chronic mountain sickness

2003 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 1269-1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiola León-Velarde ◽  
Alfredo Gamboa ◽  
Maria Rivera-Ch ◽  
Jose-Antonio Palacios ◽  
Peter A. Robbins
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Chronic Mountain Sickness ◽  
Ventilatory Responses ◽  
High Altitude Natives ◽  
Mountain Sickness ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Peripheral Chemoreflex

Peripheral chemoreflex function was studied in high-altitude (HA) natives at HA, in patients with chronic mountain sickness (CMS) at HA, and in sea-level (SL) natives at SL. Results were as follows. 1) Acute ventilatory responses to hypoxia (AHVR) in the HA and CMS groups were approximately one-third of those of the SL group. 2) In CMS patients, some indexes of AHVR were modestly, but significantly, lower than in healthy HA natives. 3) Prior oxygenation increased AHVR in all subject groups. 4) Neither low-dose dopamine nor somatostatin suppressed any component of ventilation that could not be suppressed by acute hyperoxia. 5) In all subject groups, the ventilatory response to hyperoxia was biphasic. Initially, ventilation fell but subsequently rose so that, by 20 min, ventilation was higher in hyperoxia than hypoxia for both HA and CMS subjects. 6) Peripheral chemoreflex stimulation of ventilation was modestly greater in HA and CMS subjects at an end-tidal Po 2= 52.5 Torr than in SL natives at an end-tidal Po 2 = 100 Torr. 7) For the HA and CMS subjects combined, there was a strong correlation between end-tidal Pco 2 and hematocrit, which persisted after controlling for AHVR.

Cardiorespiratory response to exercise in men repeatedly exposed to extreme altitude

1983 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 1379-1385 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Milledge ◽  
M. P. Ward ◽  
E. S. Williams ◽  
C. R. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Heart Rate Response ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Acute Hypoxia ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Response ◽  
Extreme Altitude ◽  
High Altitude Natives ◽  
Response To Exercise

The ventilatory and heart rate responses to exercise were studied in four experienced high-altitude climbers at sea level and during a 6-wk period above 4,500 m to discover whether their responses to hypoxia were similar to those of high-altitude natives. Comparison was made with results from four scientists who lacked their frequent exposure to extreme altitude. The climbers had greater Vo2max at sea level and altitude but similar ventilatory responses to increasing exercise. On acute hypoxia at sea level their ventilatory response was less than that of scientists. Their heart rate response did not differ from that of scientists at sea level, but with acclimatization the reduction in response was significantly greater. Alveolar gas concentrations were similar after acclimatization, but climbers achieved these changes more rapidly. The increase in hematocrit was similar in the two groups. It is concluded that these climbers, unlike high-altitude residents, have cardiorespiratory responses to exercise similar to those of other lowlanders except that their ventilatory response was lower and the reduction in their heart rate response was greater.

Relationship of hypoxic ventilatory response to exercise performance on Mount Everest

1984 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 1478-1483 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Schoene ◽  
S. Lahiri ◽  
P. H. Hackett ◽  
R. M. Peters ◽  
J. S. Milledge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Exercise Performance ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Hypoxic Ventilatory Response ◽  
Maximum Exercise ◽  
Exercise Ventilation ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

At very high altitude, exercise performance in the human sojourner may depend on a sufficient hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR). To study the relationship of HVR to exercise performance at high altitude, we studied HVR at sea level and 5,400 m and exercise ventilation at sea level, 5,400 m, and 6,300 m in nine members of the American Medical Research Expedition to Everest. The relationship of HVR between individuals was maintained when HVR was repeated after acclimatization to 5,400 m (P less than 0.05). There was a significant correlation in all subjects between HVR and ventilatory equivalent during exercise at sea level (r = 0.704, P less than 0.05). Subjects were then grouped into high (H) and low (L) HVR responders (ventilation increase to end-tidal PO2 of 40 Torr = 21.2 +/- 5.4 and 5.6 +/- 0.9 1 X min-1, respectively. At low and moderate levels of exercise, ventilation at sea level and after acclimatization to 6,300 m was higher in the high HVR group. At 6,300 m blood O2 saturation (Sao2%) decreased from rest to maximum exercise: H = 8.3 +/- 1.8%, L = 20.0 +/- 2.5% (P less than 0.01). HVR correlated inversely in all subjects with the decrease in Sao2 from rest to maximum exercise (P less than 0.05). Climbers with the highest HVR values reached and slept at higher altitudes. We conclude that the relative value of HVR in our group of climbers was not significantly altered after acclimatization; HVR predicts exercise ventilation at sea level and high altitude; the drop in Sao2% that occurs with exercise is inversely related to HVR; and sojourners with high HVR may perform better at extreme altitude.

Body water metabolism in high altitude natives during and after a stay at sea level

1981 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Jain ◽  
Jaya Bardhan ◽  
Y. V. Swamy ◽  
A. Grover ◽  
H. S. Nayar
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Body Water ◽  
Water Metabolism ◽  
High Altitude Natives
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