Short-term cardiorespiratory adaptation to high altitude in children compared with adults

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports 2016-02, Vol.26 (2), p.147-155
• Main Authors: Kriemler, S., Radtke, T., Bürgi, F., Lambrecht, J., Zehnder, M., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acclimatization - genetics; Acclimatization - physiology; Adult; Altitude; Altitude Sickness - physiopathology; Child; Children & youth; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Female; Heart Rate; heredity; Humans; Hypoxia; Hypoxia - physiopathology; hypoxic ventilatory response; Male; maximal oxygen uptake; Middle Aged; Oxygen Consumption; Pulmonary Ventilation; Respiratory system; Severity of Illness Index; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0905-7188; 1600-0838
• DOI: 10.1111/sms.12422

As short‐term cardiorespiratory adaptation to high altitude (HA) exposure has not yet been studied in children, we assessed acute mountain sickness (AMS), hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) at rest and maximal exercise capacity (CPET) at low altitude (LA) and HA in pre‐pubertal children and their fathers. Twenty father–child pairs (11 ± 1 years and 44 ± 4 years) were tested at LA (450 m) and HA (3450 m) at days 1, 2, and 3 after fast ascent (HA1/2/3). HVR was measured at rest and CPET was performed on a cycle ergometer. AMS severity was mild to moderate with no differences between generations. HVR was higher in children than adults at LA and increased at HA similarly in both groups. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) relative to body weight was similar in children and adults at LA and decreased significantly by 20% in both groups at HA; maximal heart rate did not change at HA in children while it decreased by 16% in adults (P