Premium
Increased lung volume in infants and toddlers at high compared to low altitude
Author(s) -
Llapur Conrado J.,
Martínez Myriam R.,
Caram María Marta,
Bonilla Federico,
Cabana Celia,
Yu Zhansheng,
Tepper Robert S.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.22764
Subject(s) - medicine , lung volumes , erythropoietin , functional residual capacity , hypoxia (environmental) , lung , effects of high altitude on humans , endocrinology , oxygen , anatomy , chemistry , organic chemistry
Abstract Children and adults residing at high altitude (HA) compared to low altitude (LA) have larger lung volumes; however, it is unknown whether this response to chronic hypoxia begins early in life. Our objective was to determine whether infants and toddlers at HA have larger lung volumes compared to infants and toddlers at LA. Oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ), functional residual capacity (FRC), as well as serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and erythropoietin (EPO) were measured in infants and toddlers from HA (N = 50; 3,440 m) and LA (N = 35; 440 m). There were no significant differences in somatic size for HA and LA subjects; however, HA subjects had significantly lower SaO 2 (88.5% vs. 96.7%; P < 0.0001). Subjects at HA had significantly greater FRC compared to subjects at LA (group mean: 209 and 157 ml; P < 0.0001), adjusting for body length. Male infants at HA had a significantly greater FRC compared to males at LA (57 ml; P ‐value < 0.001); however, the increase in FRC for females at HA compared to LA was not significant (20 ml; P ‐value = 0.101). VEGF and EPO were significantly higher for subjects at HA compared to LA with no gender differences. In summary, infants and toddlers at HA have lower oxygen saturations, higher serum levels of VEGF and EPO, and higher FRC compared to subjects at LA; however, chronic hypoxia appears to generate a more robust response in lung growth in male compared to female infants early in life. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:1224–1230. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.