TY - JOUR T1 - Breathing patterns in mountaineers climbing to extreme altitude (7546m) JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P3796 AU - Tsogyal D. Latshang AU - Ainara Garde AU - Alexander J. Turk AU - Thomas Hess AU - Martina M. Bosch AU - Daniel Barthelmes AU - Jacqueline Pichler Hefti AU - Marco Maggiorini AU - Urs Hefti AU - Tobias M. Merz AU - Otto D. Schoch AU - Konrad E. Bloch Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P3796.abstract N2 - BackgroundWe investigated breathing patterns and oxygenation in mountaineers climbing to extreme altitude to evaluate effects of hypoxemia and acclimatization.Methods In 34 mountaineers (mean age 45y, 7 women) portable recordings of respiratory inductive plethysmography, pulse oximetry and ECG were performed during a climb to the summit of Muztagh Ata, China (7546m). Breath by breath ventilation was analyzed and periodic breathing quantified by spectral analysis.ResultsRepeated recordings during 2 climbs from 4497-5533m within 5-8 days revealed an increase in oxygen saturation and periodic breathing and a decrease in heart rate (table). During the climb from 6865-7546m hypoxemia was pronounced.ConclusionsMountaineers were able to climb to extreme altitude despite severe hypoxemia. The heart rate reserve was utilized to a greater extent than the ventilatory reserve. With acclimatization, periodic breathing increased despite a higher oxygen saturation, consistent with a persistently high ventilatory drive while the heart rate reduction suggested a decrease in sympathetic tone.View this table:Physiologic adaptation during ascent to 7546m ER -