Intermittent Hypoxia Exacerbates Neonatal Hyperoxia-Induced Cardiovascular Dysfunction

Abstract

Background: Preterm infants exposed to high oxygen concentrations often experience frequent intermittent hypoxic spells (desaturations). There is also accumulating evidence that frequent and prolonged intermittent hypoxic spells are associated with worsened outcomes. In pilot studies, we demonstrated that these spells alter pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell function. But, whether intermittent hypoxic spells exacerbate neonatal-hyperoxia induced pulmonary hypertension (PH), cardiovascular impairment or mitochondrial damage is less explored. Objective: To determine whether intermittent hypoxic spells induce lung mitochondrial damage and exacerbate neonatal hyperoxia-induced PH, …