Acute high altitude exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure on nocturnal breathing

Furian, Michael; Bitos, Konstantinos; Hartmann, Sara E; Muralt, Lara; Lichtblau, Mona; Bader, Patrick R; Rawling, Jean M; Ulrich, Silvia; Poulin, Marc J; Bloch, Konrad E

doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.965021

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Furian, M., Bitos, K., Hartmann, S. E., Muralt, L., Lichtblau, M., Bader, P. R., Rawling, J. M., Ulrich, S., Poulin, M. J., & Bloch, K. E. (2022). Acute high altitude exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure on nocturnal breathing. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 965021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.965021

Abstract

Background: Effects of prolonged and repeated high-altitude exposure on oxygenation and control of breathing remain uncertain. We hypothesized that prolonged and repeated high-altitude exposure will improve altitude-induced deoxygenation and breathing instability. Methods: 21 healthy lowlanders, aged 18-30y, underwent two 7-day sojourns at a high-altitude station in Chile (4-8 hrs/day at 5,050 m, nights at 2,900 m), separated by a 1-week recovery period at 520 m. Respiratory sleep studies recording mean nocturnal pulse oximetry (SpO2)