A quantitative evaluation for peripheral respiratory chemosensitivities by the withdrawal test in man

Ten healthy subjects were tested for their peripheral respiratory chemosensitivities by the withdrawal technique two times on separate days. Hypoxic hypercapnia of PET, O2 75, 65 AND 55 mmHg with PET, CO2, 5 mmHg higher than the control level was replaced by 100% O2 two times with spontaneous respiration. Then, breath-by-breath depression calculated in minute ventilation (delta V) was observed during the period 5-20 sec after the first O2 inhalation. The results were analyzed by the linear relationship between PET, O2 and 1n delta V, and PaO2 and 1n delta V. Delta V at P02 50 mmHg, delta V50, was 9.09 +/- 6.81 liters/min (mean +/- SD) in PET, O2-1n delta V analysis and 9.22 +/- 7.46 liters/min in PaO2-1n delta V analysis, respectively. The averaged day to day variation of delta V50 expressed by SE in % was 5.3% in PET, O2-1n delta V analysis and 11.5% in PaO2-1n delta V analysis, respectively.