Periodic breathing and O2 saturation in relation to sleep stages at high altitude

This study was designed to compare sleep organization at high altitude (HA) and sea level (SL) and to estimate the extent periodic breathing (PB) negatively influences arterial O2 saturation (SaO2). Six lowlanders were studied at SL and after 3 weeks spent at 3,800 m (La Paz, Bolivia). Three EEG leads, EOG, submental EMG, chest and abdominal motion, temperature of ventilated gas, and SaO2 were polygraphically recorded. Comparison of HA and SL data disclosed that: 1) Sleep organization was identical, with the same percentage of REM and stage 4. 2) PB (cycle length: 20 s; central apnea: 9 s) occurred in three subjects during all stages of sleep except REM (43-60% of total sleep). A periodic lowering in heart rate occurred during ventilatory oscillation. 3) During PB, SaO2 oscillated very regularly from 78-90%, which resulted in a mean SaO2 value calculated during oscillations similar to that of the non-periodic breathers. We conclude that lung O2 uptake during PB is preserved.