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Baseline plasma cGMP levels correlates with breath hold capacity in competitive breath hold divers
Author(s) -
Lindholm Peter,
Schiffer Tomas A,
Lundberg Jon O,
Weitzberg Eddie
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.1082.8
Subject(s) - nitric oxide , apnea , oxygen , cardiology , medicine , exhaled nitric oxide , anesthesia , chemistry , inflammation , organic chemistry , systemic inflammation
Breath‐hold (BH) duration depends on oxygen stores and consumption. Strong peripheral vasoconstriction and reduction in cardiac output (diving response) reduce oxygen consumption during apnea. A healthy reactive endothelium may be important for an efficient diving response. Endothelium‐derived nitric oxide (NO) is deeply involved in endothelial function and plasma cGMP is considered as a marker of endothelial NO synthase activity. Objective To evaluate the association between plasma cGMP and BH capacity in trained BH divers. Methods Nine BH divers performed BHs of maximal duration after inhalation to 80% of vital capacity. Oxygen consumption was evaluated with pulse oximetry (SpO2) and exhaled O2 fraction (EtFO2) at end of apnea. Baseline plasma cGMP was measured before and 10min after the apnea protocol. Results A strong positive correlation was found between baseline plasma cGMP levels and maximum BH duration (344±13 sec, R2=0.63, P=0.011), SpO2 at 4min (R2=0.53, P=0.026) and EtFO2 at breath‐holds aborted at 4min (R2=0.50, P=0.026). Mean plasma cGMP increased from 4.3±0.8 to 7,8±1.8nM as a result of the apnea protocol (P=0.024). Conlusion Baseline plasma cGMP predicts breath hold capacity and oxygen consumption during apnea in trained breath hold divers. This indicates that endothelial NOS activity could be important in the vascular part of the diving response.