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Published Online: 12 June 2015

Developmental Effects Determine Submaximal Arterial Oxygen Saturation in Peruvian Quechua

Publication: High Altitude Medicine & Biology
Volume 16, Issue Number 2

Abstract

Kiyamu, Melisa, Fabiola León-Velarde, María Rivera-Chira, Gianpietro Elías, and Tom D. Brutsaert. Developmental effects determine submaximal arterial oxygen saturation in Peruvian Quechua. High Alt Med Biol 16, 138–146, 2015.—Andean high altitude natives show higher arterial oxygen saturation (Sao2) during exercise in hypoxia, compared to acclimatized sojourners. In order to evaluate the effects of life-long exposure to high altitude on Sao2, we studied two groups of well-matched, self-identified Peruvian Quechua natives who differed in their developmental exposure to hypoxia before and after a 2-month training period. Male and female volunteers (18–35 years) were recruited in Lima, Peru (150 m). The two groups were: a) Individuals who were born and raised at sea-level (BSL, n=34) and b) Individuals who were born and raised at high altitude (BHA, n=32), but who migrated to sea-level as adults (>16 years old). Exercise testing was conducted using a submaximal exercise protocol in normobaric hypoxia in Lima (BP=750 mmHg, Fio2=0.12), in order to measure Sao2 (%), ventilation (VE L/min) and oxygen consumption (Vo2, L/min). Repeated-measures ANOVA, controlling for VE/VO2 (L/min) and sex during the submaximal protocol showed that BHA maintained higher Sao2 (%) compared to BSL at all workloads before (p=0.005) and after training (p=0.017). As expected, both groups showed a decrease in Sao2 (%) (p<0.001), as workload increased. Resting Sao2 levels were not found to be different between groups. The results suggest that developmental exposure to altitude contributes to the maintenance of higher Sao2 levels during submaximal exercise at hypoxia.

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cover image High Altitude Medicine & Biology
High Altitude Medicine & Biology
Volume 16Issue Number 2June 2015
Pages: 138 - 146
PubMed: 25977978

History

Published online: 12 June 2015
Published in print: June 2015
Published ahead of print: 15 May 2015
Accepted: 23 March 2015
Received: 30 November 2014

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Melisa Kiyamu
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Urb. San Martín de Porres, Peru.
Fabiola León-Velarde
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Urb. San Martín de Porres, Peru.
María Rivera-Chira
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Urb. San Martín de Porres, Peru.
Gianpietro Elías
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Urb. San Martín de Porres, Peru.
Tom D. Brutsaert
Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.

Notes

Address correspondence to:Melisa Kiyamu, PhDDepartamento de Ciencias Biológicas y FisiológicasUniversidad Peruana Cayetano HerediaAv. Honorio Delgado 430Urb. San Martín de Porres L31Peru
E-mail: [email protected]

Author Disclosure Statement

The authors of this article have no conflicts of interests or financial ties to disclose.

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