Author/Authors :
Gotschke, Jeremias Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany , Mertsch, Pontus Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany , Kneidinger, Nikolaus Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany , Kauffmann-Guerrero, Diego Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany , Behr, Jurgen Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany , Maria Huber, Rudolf Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany , Reichenberger, Frank Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany , Milger, Katrin Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M) - Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
Abstract :
Chronic hypoxia causes pulmonary vascular remodeling resulting in persistently increased pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP) even
after return to normoxia. Recently, interest in chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) was raised because it occurs in subjects
working at high altitude (HA) but living in lowland. However, effects of daily CIHH on PAP are unknown. In this pilot study, we
included 8 healthy subjects working at (2650 m) each workday for 8-9 h while living and sleeping at LA and 8 matched control
subjects living and working at LA. Cardiorespiratory measurements including echocardiography at rest and during exercise were
performed at LA (Munich, 530 m) and HA (Zugspitze, 2650 m). Hemoglobin was higher in CIHH subjects. LA echocardiography
showed normal right and left cardiac dimensions and function in all subjects. Systolic PAP (sPAP) and tricuspid annular plane
systolic excursion (TAPSE) at rest were similar in both groups. Resting blood gas analysis (BGA) at HA revealed decreased pCO2 in
CIHH compared to controls (HA: 28.4 versus 31.7 mmHg, p= 0.01). During exercise, sPAP was lower in CIHH subjects compared
to controls (LA: 28.7 versus 35.3 mmHg, p = 0.02; HA: 26.3 versus 33.6 mmHg, p = 0.04) and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2)
was higher. In sum, subjects exposed to CIHH showed no signs of pulmonary vascular remodeling
