Bicarbonate Values for Healthy Residents Living in Cities Above 1500 Meters of Altitude: A Theoretical Model and Systematic Review.
Ramirez-Sandoval, Juan C., Maria F. Castilla-Peón, José Gotés-Palazuelos, Juan C. Vázquez-García, Michael P. Wagner, Carlos A. Merelo-Arias, Olynka Vega-Vega, Rodolfo Rincón-Pedrero, and Ricardo Correa-Rotter. Bicarbonate values for healthy residents living in cities above 1500 m of altitude: a theoretical model and systematic review. High Alt Med Biol. 17:85-92, 2016.-Plasma bicarbonate (HCO3(-)) concentration is the main value used to assess the metabolic component of the acid-base status. There is limited information regarding plasma HCO3(-) values adjusted for altitude for people living in cities at high altitude defined as 1500 m (4921 ft) or more above sea level. Our aim was to estimate the plasma HCO3(-) concentration in residents of cities at these altitudes using a theoretical model and compare these values with HCO3(-) values found on a systematic review, and with those venous CO2 values obtained in a sample of 633 healthy individuals living at an altitude of 2240 m (7350 ft). We calculated the PCO2 using linear regression models and calculated plasma HCO3(-) according to the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. Results show that HCO3(-) concentration falls as the altitude of the cities increase. For each 1000 m of altitude above sea level, HCO3(-) decreases to 0.55 and 1.5 mEq/L in subjects living at sea level with acute exposure to altitude and in subjects acclimatized to altitude, respectively. Estimated HCO3(-) values from the theoretical model were not different to HCO3(-) values found in publications of a systematic review or with venous total CO2 measurements in our sample. Altitude has to be taken into consideration in the calculation of HCO3(-) concentrations in cities above 1500 m to avoid an overdiagnosis of acid-base disorders in a given individual.
1 National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) , Mexico City, Mexico .
Juan C
JC
Ramirez-Sandoval
2 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez , Mexico City, Mexico .
Maria F
MF
Castilla-Peón
1 National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) , Mexico City, Mexico .
José
J
Gotés-Palazuelos
3 National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER) , Mexico City, Mexico .
Juan C
JC
Vázquez-García
4 Department of Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College , New York, New York.
Michael P
MP
Wagner
2 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez , Mexico City, Mexico .
Carlos A
CA
Merelo-Arias
1 National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) , Mexico City, Mexico .|5 Tecnológico de Monterrey , Mexico City, Mexico .
Olynka
O
Vega-Vega
1 National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) , Mexico City, Mexico .
Rodolfo
R
Rincón-Pedrero
1 National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) , Mexico City, Mexico .
Ricardo
R
Correa-Rotter
D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood*; D002947:Cities; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012016:Reference Values
D001639:Bicarbonates
CO2; HCO3; acidosis; acid–base status; altitude