[Hypoxic ventilatory response and hypoxic depression]

We investigated whether or not the adaptation of peripheral chemoreceptor (PCR) activity can contribute to hypoxic ventilatory depression (HVD) during sustained hypoxia for 20 min in both healthy subjects and patients with sleep apnea. Effects of HVD on diaphragm (DIA) and genioglossal muscle (GG) were also assessed. Withdrawal test, which is well established to solely represent the function of PCR, was repeatedly conducted at 5 and 20 min during sustained hypoxic condition. The results suggested that PCR did not play an important role in the development of HVD. When HVD ensued during sustained hypoxia, minute ventilation and EMGDIA were suppressed to the same extent in both groups. On the other hand, EMGGG was strongly and consistently attenuated in OSAS, whereas it was not always the case in healthy subjects. We speculate that treatment for hypoxic conditions can induce improvement of impaired regulation of breathing via central mechanisms, and it can be an important factor reducing the incidence and the severity of upper airway occlusion or collapse.