Muscle tissue oxygen pressures in healthy volunteers during acute exposure to hypoxia

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Landgraf, Helmut | Schulte-Huermann, Detlef | Ehrly, Albrecht M.

Affiliations: Department of Angiology, Internal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt/Main RFT

Abstract: Tissue pO2 values (tibial anterior muscle), oxygen saturation, transcutaneous pO2, arterial p02, and rheological parameters were measured in 10 young (mean age 26,9 ± 0,9 years) as well as in 10 older (mean age 59,3 ± 5,9 years) apparently healthy volunteers during acute exposure to hypoxia according to a pressure altitude of approximately 8500 feet for 20 minutes. Hypoxia exposure was achieved by inspiration of an oxygen reduced gas mixture (116 mm Hg pO2). Average arterial pO2 and oxygen saturation decreased significantly in the young but not in the older volunteers. Tissue pO2 values showed a marked and significant decrease in both groups (23.9 mm Hg to 12.8 mm Hg in the young and 20.8 mm Hg to 12.2 mm Hg in the older volunteers (medians)). Transcutaneous pO2 values also decreased significantly in both groups. The studied hemorheological parameters did not change significantly. The data show, that even a short exposure to moderately elevated pressure altitudes leads to a marked decrease in tissue oxygen tensions in young as well as in older healthy persons.

Keywords: tissue oxygen pressure, hemorheology, altitude exposure, blood gases, transcutaneous oxygen pressure

DOI: 10.3233/CH-1994-14213

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 263-270, 1994