TY - JOUR
T1 - Exhaled Nitric Oxide Changes during Acclimatization to High Altitude
T2 - A Descriptive Study
AU - Summerfield, Douglas T.
AU - Coffman, Kirsten E.
AU - Taylor, Bryan J.
AU - Issa, Amine N.
AU - Johnson, Bruce D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by The North Face (VF Corporation), The National Geographic Society, and Mayo Clinic. B.J.T. was supported by AHA grant 12POST12070084.
Funding Information:
This study was part of a larger Everest Expedition funded by The North Face Company, The National Geographic Society, and Mayo Clinic through a grant from the Leslie and Lou Gonda families. This expedition was the 2012 Legacy Climb led by Conrad Anker to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1963 American Mt. Everest Expedition. The authors thank Mr. Andrew Miller, Mr. Alex Kasak, and Mrs. Kathy O’Malley for their help with participant recruitment and data collection.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
PY - 2018/9
Y1 - 2018/9
N2 - Aims: This study describes differences in the partial pressures of exhaled nitric oxide (PeNO) between subjects fully acclimatized (ACC) to 5300 m and those who have just arrived to high altitude. Methods: PeNO was determined in eight subjects newly exposed and nonacclimatized (non-ACC) to high altitude and compared with that in nine subjects who had ACC to high altitude for 1 month. In addition, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were measured in all participants. These measurements were repeated in the non-ACC group 5 and 9 days later. Results: PeNO levels on day 1 were significantly higher in the non-ACC versus ACC cohort (8.7 ± 3.5 vs. 3.9 ± 2.2 nmHg, p = 0.004). As the non-ACC group remained at altitude, PeNO levels fell and were not different when compared with those of the ACC group by day 9 (5.9 ± 2.4 vs. 3.9 ± 2.2 nmHg, p = 0.095). Higher sPAP was correlated with lower PeNO levels in all participants (R = -0.50, p = 0.043). PeNO levels were not correlated with SaO2. Conclusions: As individuals acclimatized to high altitude, PeNO levels decreased. Even after acclimatization, PeNO levels continued to play a role in pulmonary vascular tone.
AB - Aims: This study describes differences in the partial pressures of exhaled nitric oxide (PeNO) between subjects fully acclimatized (ACC) to 5300 m and those who have just arrived to high altitude. Methods: PeNO was determined in eight subjects newly exposed and nonacclimatized (non-ACC) to high altitude and compared with that in nine subjects who had ACC to high altitude for 1 month. In addition, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were measured in all participants. These measurements were repeated in the non-ACC group 5 and 9 days later. Results: PeNO levels on day 1 were significantly higher in the non-ACC versus ACC cohort (8.7 ± 3.5 vs. 3.9 ± 2.2 nmHg, p = 0.004). As the non-ACC group remained at altitude, PeNO levels fell and were not different when compared with those of the ACC group by day 9 (5.9 ± 2.4 vs. 3.9 ± 2.2 nmHg, p = 0.095). Higher sPAP was correlated with lower PeNO levels in all participants (R = -0.50, p = 0.043). PeNO levels were not correlated with SaO2. Conclusions: As individuals acclimatized to high altitude, PeNO levels decreased. Even after acclimatization, PeNO levels continued to play a role in pulmonary vascular tone.
KW - acclimatization
KW - exhaled nitric oxide
KW - high altitude populations
KW - systolic pulmonary artery pressure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053917648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85053917648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/ham.2017.0109
DO - 10.1089/ham.2017.0109
M3 - Article
C2 - 29757001
AN - SCOPUS:85053917648
SN - 1527-0297
VL - 19
SP - 215
EP - 220
JO - High Altitude Medicine and Biology
JF - High Altitude Medicine and Biology
IS - 3
ER -