Abstract
BackgroundMany studies have reported specific adaptations to high altitude, but few studies have focused on physiological variations in high-altitude adaptation in Andean highlanders. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between SpO2 and related factors, including individual variations and sex differences, in Andean highlanders.MethodsThe participants were community-dwelling people in La Paz, Bolivia, aged 20 years and over (age range 20–34 years). A total of 50 men and 50 women participated in this study. Height, weight, SpO2, hemoglobin concentration, finger temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure were measured. Information about lifestyle was also obtained by interview.ResultsThere were individual variations of SpO2 both in men (mean 89.9%, range 84.0–95.0%) and women (mean 91.0%, range 84.0–96.0%). On Student’s t test, men had significantly lower heart rate (p = 0.046) and SpO2 (p = 0.030) than women. On the other hand, men had significantly higher SBP (p < 0.001), hemoglobin (p < 0.001), and finger temperature (p = 0.004). In men, multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that a higher SpO2 was correlated with a lower heart rate (β = − 0.089, p = 0.007) and a higher finger temperature (β = 0.308, p = 0.030) (r2 for model = 0.18). In women, a higher SpO2 was significantly correlated with a higher finger temperature (β = 0.391, p = 0.015) (r2 for model = 0.12). A higher SpO2 was related to a higher finger temperature (β = 0.286, p = 0.014) and a lower heart rate (β = − 0.052, p = 0.029) in all participants (r2 for model = 0.21). Residual analysis showed that individual SpO2 values were randomly plotted.ConclusionRandom plots of SpO2 on residual analysis indicated that these variations were random error, such as biological variation. A higher SpO2 was related to a lower heart rate and finger temperature in men, but a higher SpO2 was related to finger temperature in women. These results suggest that there are individual variations and sex differences in the hemodynamic responses of high-altitude adaptation in Andean highlanders.
Highlights
Many studies have reported specific adaptations to high altitude, but few studies have focused on physiological variations in high-altitude adaptation in Andean highlanders
A higher Percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) was related to a lower heart rate in all participants (Table 3); individual variation of SpO2 was partly explained by heart rate
In conclusion, the present study showed that SpO2 values of Andean highlanders were not homogeneous
Summary
Many studies have reported specific adaptations to high altitude, but few studies have focused on physiological variations in high-altitude adaptation in Andean highlanders. Studies of adaptation to high altitude started over 100 years ago, and they focused on increased hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations in Andean highlanders or sojourners in high-mountain areas [1, 2]. This Hb increase is the typical physiological response of humans at high altitude [2,3,4]. Hb carries less oxygen with increasing altitude because the partial pressure of oxygen in the lung is decreased, and there is decreased oxygen available for diffusion into the blood [5] This percentage of arterial Hb with oxygen is evaluated by measuring percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2), and SpO2 indicates the oxygen level in the body. To maintain oxygen levels, people who stay at high altitude and Andean highlanders have increased Hb concentrations or SpO2
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