title: The effect of high-altitude on human skeletal muscle energetics: P-MRS results from the Caudwell Xtreme Everest expedition.
abstract: Many disease states are associated with regional or systemic hypoxia. The study of healthy individuals exposed to high-altitude hypoxia offers a way to explore hypoxic adaptation without the confounding effects of disease and therapeutic interventions. Using (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging, we investigated skeletal muscle energetics and morphology after exposure to hypobaric hypoxia in seven altitude-naïve subjects (trekkers) and seven experienced climbers. The trekkers ascended to 5300 m while the climbers ascended above 7950 m. Before the study, climbers had better mitochondrial function (evidenced by shorter phosphocreatine recovery halftime) than trekkers: 16+/-1 vs. 22+/-2 s (mean +/- SE, p<0.01). Climbers had higher resting [Pi] than trekkers before the expedition and resting [Pi] was raised across both groups on their return (PRE: 2.6+/-0.2 vs. POST: 3.0+/-0.2 mM, p<0.05). There was significant muscle atrophy post-CXE (PRE: 4.7+/-0.2 vs. POST: 4.5+/-0.2 cm(2), p<0.05), yet exercising metabolites were unchanged. These results suggest that, in response to high altitude hypoxia, skeletal muscle function is maintained in humans, despite significant atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. L.M.Edwards@utas.edu.au
authors.forename: Lindsay M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Damian J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Cameron J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neubauer
authors.forename: Denny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levett
authors.forename: Hugh E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Mike P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grocott
authors.forename: Kieran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005101:Expeditions; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010725:Phosphocreatine