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Exercise Overrides Blunted Hypoxic Ventilatory Response in Prematurely Born Men
Tadej Debevec1,2, Vincent Pialoux3,4, Grégoire P Millet5
1Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Frontiers in Physiology
|May 2, 2019
Summary
Adults born prematurely have a blunted resting hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) that persists into adulthood. Despite this, they tolerate hypoxic exercise well, but caution is advised during prolonged hypoxic exposures due to potential desaturation.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Preterm birth can lead to lifelong respiratory issues.
- Blunted hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) is common in preterm infants but its persistence into adulthood and impact on exercise capacity are unclear.
- The role of redox balance in modulating HVR in preterm individuals remains to be elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if blunted HVR persists into adulthood in individuals born prematurely.
- To determine if blunted HVR influences hypoxic exercise capacity.
- To explore the potential contribution of altered redox balance to HVR modulation in preterm-born adults.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-one adult males born prematurely and 14 age-matched controls underwent hypoxia chemo-sensitivity tests to assess resting and exercise HVR.
- Maximal aerobic power (MAP) was compared during graded exercise tests in normoxia and normobaric hypoxia.
- Prooxidant and antioxidant markers were analyzed from venous samples before and after HVR tests.
Main Results:
- Resting HVR was significantly lower in prematurely born adults compared to full-term controls.
- No significant differences were observed in exercise HVR or oxidative stress markers between the groups.
- The reduction in MAP during hypoxia was comparable between prematurely born and full-term individuals.
Conclusions:
- Blunted resting HVR persists into adulthood in individuals born prematurely.
- Adults born prematurely demonstrate good tolerance to hypoxic exercise, suggesting they should not be discouraged from physical activity in hypoxic conditions.
- Caution is recommended during prolonged hypoxic exposures for preterm-born individuals due to blunted resting HVR and potential for greater desaturation.
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