Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Potential for using simulated altitude as a means of prehabilitation: a physiology study
Authors' conclusion
This study has established the concept and feasibility of 'altitude prehabilitation' and demonstrated specific potential for improving haematological fitness.
Study context
- Population
- Older sedentary volunteers (mean age 64 y, unfit)
- Participants
- 8 volunteers
- Comparison
- One week of simulated altitude vs normoxia
- Primary endpoint
- Physiological effects on cardiorespiratory fitness (anaerobic threshold, peak V̇O2) by repeated cardiopulmonary exercise tests
- Follow-up
- One week
Methodological detailsdouble-blind, sham-controlled, counterbalanced
- Double-blind
- Sham-controlled
- Counterbalanced
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Anaerobic threshold and peak V̇O2
- No effect of simulated altitude on anaerobic threshold or peak V̇O2 overall (some indication of greater peak exercise capacity after hypoxia)
Further findings
| Outcome | Values |
|---|---|
| Haemoglobin increase with hypoxia | Hypoxia mean 1.5 (SD 2.7) g.dl-1 · relative increase 13% |
| SpO2 during hypoxia | Hypoxia mean 93 (SD 2) % |
- Haemoglobin increase with hypoxia: p = 0.028
- SpO2 during hypoxia: p < 0.001
Safety
Tolerability
- Hypoxia was mild and well-tolerated
Original publication
Potential for using simulated altitude as a means of prehabilitation: a physiology study. Anaesthesia. Published 25 October 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →