title: On the estimation of hypoxic ventilatory response.
abstract: The shape parameter, A, has been used to assess hypoxic sensitivity (ventilatory response, VE, to lowered alveolar oxygen tension, PAO2) in the model of the form VE = VEO + A/(PAO2 - C) where C is held constant at 32. In this paper we examine the consequence of holding C constant versus estimating both A and C from the data. Using computer-simulated data from 59 subjects whose A and C values had been previously determined, we indicate that when the actual C value is substantially different from 32, the model with C = 32 does not fit the data. In this case, the estimated A value with C = 32 is highly dependent upon the lowest value of PAO2 obtained in the experimental protocol and can be markedly different from the actual A value. In contrast, when C is also estimated from the subject's data the model fits the data and the estimate of A is unbiased but the precision may be diminished when the actual value of C is low. To improve this precision, we propose a Bayesian estimation scheme that adds a "soft" constraint on C.
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012119:Respiration