Frequency domain analysis of ventilation and gas exchange kinetics in hypoxic exercise

The kinetics of O2 up-take (VO2), CO2 output (VCO2), ventilation (VE), and heart rate (HR) were studied during exercise in normoxia and hypoxia [inspired O2 fraction (FIO2) 0.14]. Eight male subjects each completed 6 on- and off-step transitions in work rate (WR) from low (25 W) to moderate (100-125 W) levels and a pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) exercise test in which WR was varied between the same WRs. Breath-by-breath data were linearly interpolated to yield 1-s values. After the first PRBS cycle had been omitted as a warm-up, five cycles were ensemble-averaged before frequency domain analysis by standard Fourier methods. The step data were fit by a two-component (three for HR) exponential model to estimate kinetic parameters. In the steady state of low and moderate WRs, each value of VO2, VCO2, VE, and HR was significantly greater during hypoxic than normoxic exercise (P less than 0.05) with the exception of VCO2 (low WR). Hypoxia slowed the kinetics of VO2 and HR in on- and off-step transitions and speeded up the kinetics of VCO2 and VE in the on-transition and of VE in the off-transition. Frequency domain analysis confined to the range of 0.003-0.019 Hz for the PRBS tests indicated reductions in amplitude and greater phase shifts in the hypoxic tests for VO2 and HR at specific frequencies, whereas amplitude tended to be greater with little change in phase shift for VCO2 and VE during hypoxic tests.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)