Abstract
Introduction: Patients with chronic mountain sickness (CMS) are characterized by excessive erythrocytosis, severe hypoxemia and occasionally pulmonary hypertension, that may lead to exercise limitation. However, cardio-pulmonary exercise test (CPET) parameters in this patient group have not been established yet.
Methods: 12 CMS, 14 healthy high- (HH) and 10 lowlanders (LL) were included to perform a maximal CPET. CMS and HH performed their test at 4350m above sea level (Cerro de Pasco, Peru). LL also underwent CPET at sea level.
Results: CMS compared to HH and LL at sea level reached the same VO2max but decreased SpO2. However CMS had increased haemoglobin (HB). VE/VCO2 slope was decreased in CMS compared to HH and LL at altitude but not different from sea level LL (table 1). Figure 1 shows that the ventilatory response to exercise, was decreased in CMS compared to HH and LL at altitude (p<0.001) but not different from sea level LL.
Conclusion: Patients with CMS have a preserved aerobic capacity with a ventilatory response identical to LL at sea level but blunted ventilatory adaptation compared to HH and LL at altitude likely explained by preserved oxygen delivery because of increased hemoglobine. This study was supported by a grant from Pfizer
- © 2011 ERS
