title: [Study of blood oxygen saturation, heart rate changes and plateau reaction of the Antarctic Kunlun station investigation team in different plateau environments].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the blood oxygen saturation and heart rate changes of the Antarctic explorers.
  
  
  METHODS
  During August 2010 to April 2011, the changes in blood oxygen saturation, heart rate and plateau reaction of 16 Antarctic expedition team in different plateau environments (Tibetan plateau versus Antarctic plateau) were monitored with the noninvasive pulse oximeter MD300-C. The extent of acute mountain sickness was determined according to the Lake Louise Consensus acute mountain reaction symptom scores and judgment method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The changes of blood oxygen saturation, heart rate at different altitudes of 110, 3650, 4300 m (96.8% ± 1.2%,89.1% ± 1.2%, 86.1% ± 2.0%, (75.0 ± 5.4) times/min, (104.0 ± 4.3) times/min, (113.0 ± 5.2) times/min,F = 214.155, 240.088,both P < 0.05). With rising latitude and elevation gradient in Antarctic plateau, the changes of blood oxygen saturation, heart rate at different altitudes of 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500 and 4087 m(91.9% ± 1.3%,90.5% ± 1.3%,87.6% ± 1.4%,85.0% ± 1.8%,81.5% ± 2.2%, (85.9 ± 3.2) times/min, (90.6 ± 2.8) times/min, (97.8 ± 4.1) times/min, (102.0 ± 3.4) times/min, (106.3 ± 3.9) times/min, F = 105.418, 90.174, both P < 0.05). Levels of blood oxygen saturation and heart rate were both correlated with the risk of altitude sickness (r = -0.446 and 0.565, both P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the increases of altitude, there are significant changes in oxygen saturation, heart rate of the Antarctic explorers. And with the increases of altitude, the risk of altitude sickness gradually increases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital, Xining 810007, China.
authors.forename: Shun-yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xin-min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ya-min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shu-shun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000209:etiology*; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen