[Experimental study on increasing arterial oxygen saturation by healthy exerciser under hypoxia]

The study was carried out among 41 healthy subjects born in Shanghai (Sea level). They were divided into two groups. Group one (10 subjects) was studied at sea level in a hypobaric chamber (3000m). Group two (31 subjects) was studied in high altitude plateau (Xigatse at 3836m). Arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), Heart Rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and myocardial oxygen uptake (MVO2) were measured noninvasively with Nelleor N-200 pulse Oxymeter and HEM-812F-Digital Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor. SaO2 increased significantly (from 87.7 +/- 1.7% to 95.3 +/- 1.0% P<0.01 and from 86.4 +/-1.0% to 91.8 +/- 0.6%, P < 0.05, respectively) by healthy exerciser through 15 min in both groups. After 3 min exercise SaO2 was still significantly higher than before exercise. Then HR, BP and MVO2 have not change significantly. The study results suggested that this kind of exerciser may help increasing the SaO2 and thus could be used to prevent and treat acute hypoxic response to some extent.