[Serum glucose level in acute severe hypoxia in human at rest]

Study of the effects of acute normobaric hypoxia was performed on a group of young healthy males (age 19-23, n = 10). Conditions of acute normobaric hypoxia were modeled by using oxygen-nitrogen mixture containing 8% of oxygen as a breath gas. That level of oxygen corresponds with its partial pressure at 7000 meters above sea level. A number of different analyses were conducted during experiment: levels of glucose, pyruvate, lactate in peripheral venous blood, hemoglobin, pH, hematocrit, partial pressures of 02 and CO2, hemoglobin saturation. It was shown that on 5th minute of hypoxia serum glucose level decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The average decrease was about 0.76 mmol/l in its maximum and lowest individual glucose levels were 4.0 mmol/l or higher. Serum glucose level returned to background values (assessed before the test) at 10th minute of experiment. In our opinion results of the study suggest that syncopal form of height hypoxia may be caused by the reasons other than hypoglycemia.