Role of the peripheral chemoreflex in the early stages of ventilatory acclimatization to altitude.

Journal article

This review of ventilatory acclimatization to altitude/hypoxia (VAH) emphasizes the widely differing timescales that VAH is considered to encompass. The review concludes: (1) that early (24-48h) VAH is unlikely to arise as a reaction to the respiratory alkalosis that is normally associated with exposure to hypoxia; (2) that changes in peripheral chemoreflex function may be sufficiently rapid to explain early VAH; (3) that alterations in gene expression induced by hypoxia through the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signalling pathway may underlie a major component of VAH; and (4) that compensatory adjustments to acid-base balance in response to the initial respiratory alkalosis may have more significance for the slower changes observed later in VAH.

Authors: Robbins, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Respiratory physiology and neurobiology
• Volume: 158
• Issue: 2-3
• Pages: 237-242
• Publication date: 2007-09-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2007.03.008
• EISSN: 1878-1519
• ISSN: 1569-9048
• Language: English
• Keywords: Acid-Base Equilibrium; Oxygen; Carbon Dioxide; Pulmonary Ventilation; Time Factors; Animals; Peripheral Nervous System; Reflex; Acclimatization; Chemoreceptor Cells; Humans; Altitude; Anoxia