Respiratory effects in humans of a 5-day elevation of end-tidal PCO2 by 8 Torr.
The aims of this study were to determine 1) whether ventilatory adaptation occurred over a 5-day exposure to a constant elevation in end-tidal PCO2 and 2) whether such an exposure altered the sensitivity of the chemoreflexes to acute hypoxia and hypercapnia. Ten healthy human subjects were studied over a period of 13 days. Their ventilation, chemoreflex sensitivities, and acid-base status were measured daily before, during, and after 5 days of elevated end-tidal PCO2 at 8 Torr above normal. There was no major adaptation of ventilation during the 5 days of hypercapnic exposure. There was an increase in ventilatory chemosensitivity to acute hypoxia (from 1.35 +/- 0.08 to 1.70 +/- 0.07 l/min/%; P < 0.01) but no change in ventilatory chemosensitivity to acute hypercapnia. There was a degree of compensatory metabolic alkalosis. The results do not support the hypothesis that the ventilatory adaptation to chronic hypercapnia would be much greater with constant elevation of alveolar PCO2 than with constant elevation of inspired PCO2, as has been used in previous studies and in which the feedback loop between ventilation and alveolar PCO2 is left intact.
Crosby
Alexi
A
University Laboratory of Physiology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom.
Talbot
Nick P
NP
Balanos
George M
GM
Donoghue
Simon
S
Fatemian
Marzieh
M
Robbins
Peter A
PA
D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000471:Alkalosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D001273:Atmosphere Exposure Chambers; D002196:Capillaries / Q000502:physiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000502:physiology; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen