TY - JOUR
T1 - Vagal activity and oxygen saturation response to hypoxia
T2 - Effects of aerobic fitness and rating of hypoxia tolerance
AU - Macoun, Tomáš
AU - Botek, Michal
AU - Krejčí, Jakub
AU - McKune, Andrew J.
PY - 2017/1/1
Y1 - 2017/1/1
N2 - Background: A reduction in the inspired oxygen fraction (FiO2) induces a decline in arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and changes of heart rate variability (HRV). It has been shown that SpO2 and HRV responses to similar levels of acute normobaric hypoxia are inter-individual variable. Variable response may be influenced by normoxia reached maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) value. Objective: The primary aim was to assess HRV and the SpO2 response to hypoxia, and examine the association with normoxic VO2max. Methods: Supine HRV and SpO2 were monitored during normobaric hypoxia (FiO2 = 9.6%) for 10 minutes in 28 subjects, aged 23.7 ± 1.7 years. HRV was evaluated by using both spectral and time domain HRV analysis. Low frequency (LF, 0.05-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF, 0.15-0.50 Hz) power together with square root of the mean of the squares of the successive differences (rMSSD) were calculated and transformed by natural logarithm (Ln). Based on the SpO2 in hypoxia, subjects were divided into Resistant (RG, SpO2 ≥ 70.9%, n = 14) and Sensitive (SG, SpO2 < 70.9%, n = 14) groups. Perceived hypoxia tolerance was self-scored on a 4-level scale. Results: VO2max was higher in SG (62.4 ± 7.2 ml · kg-1 · min-1) compared with RG (55.5 ± 7.1 ml · kg-1 · min-1, p =.017, d = 0.97). A significant relationship (r = -.45, p =.017) between hypoxicnormoxic difference in SpO2 and normoxic VO2max level was found. Vagal activity (Ln rMSSD) was significantly decreased (SG: p <.001, d = 2.64; RG: p <.001, d = 1.22), while sympathetic activity (Ln LF/HF) was relatively increased (p <.001, d = -1.40) in only the SG during hypoxia. Conclusions: Results show that subjects with a higher aerobic capacity exhibited a greater decline in SpO2, accompanied by greater autonomic cardiac disturbances during hypoxia. The SpO2 reduction was associated with perceived hypoxia comfort/discomfort. The hypoxia discomfort state was accompanied by a greater withdrawal in cardiac vagal activity.
AB - Background: A reduction in the inspired oxygen fraction (FiO2) induces a decline in arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and changes of heart rate variability (HRV). It has been shown that SpO2 and HRV responses to similar levels of acute normobaric hypoxia are inter-individual variable. Variable response may be influenced by normoxia reached maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) value. Objective: The primary aim was to assess HRV and the SpO2 response to hypoxia, and examine the association with normoxic VO2max. Methods: Supine HRV and SpO2 were monitored during normobaric hypoxia (FiO2 = 9.6%) for 10 minutes in 28 subjects, aged 23.7 ± 1.7 years. HRV was evaluated by using both spectral and time domain HRV analysis. Low frequency (LF, 0.05-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF, 0.15-0.50 Hz) power together with square root of the mean of the squares of the successive differences (rMSSD) were calculated and transformed by natural logarithm (Ln). Based on the SpO2 in hypoxia, subjects were divided into Resistant (RG, SpO2 ≥ 70.9%, n = 14) and Sensitive (SG, SpO2 < 70.9%, n = 14) groups. Perceived hypoxia tolerance was self-scored on a 4-level scale. Results: VO2max was higher in SG (62.4 ± 7.2 ml · kg-1 · min-1) compared with RG (55.5 ± 7.1 ml · kg-1 · min-1, p =.017, d = 0.97). A significant relationship (r = -.45, p =.017) between hypoxicnormoxic difference in SpO2 and normoxic VO2max level was found. Vagal activity (Ln rMSSD) was significantly decreased (SG: p <.001, d = 2.64; RG: p <.001, d = 1.22), while sympathetic activity (Ln LF/HF) was relatively increased (p <.001, d = -1.40) in only the SG during hypoxia. Conclusions: Results show that subjects with a higher aerobic capacity exhibited a greater decline in SpO2, accompanied by greater autonomic cardiac disturbances during hypoxia. The SpO2 reduction was associated with perceived hypoxia comfort/discomfort. The hypoxia discomfort state was accompanied by a greater withdrawal in cardiac vagal activity.
KW - Acute mountain sickness
KW - Haemoglobin desaturation
KW - Heart rate variability
KW - Maximal oxygen uptake
KW - Simulated altitude
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85031090221&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5507/ag.2017.014
DO - 10.5507/ag.2017.014
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85031090221
SN - 2336-4912
VL - 47
SP - 112
EP - 121
JO - Acta Gymnica
JF - Acta Gymnica
IS - 3
ER -