Effects of Hypoxia and/or Exercise on Pulmonary Epithelial Permeability

Abstract

The effect of hill walking in mountain area of higher than 4, 000 meter recognized as pulmonary edema, sodium retention, and increased plasma renin and aldosterone activitives. To obtain evidences of lung damages during hopoxic condition as mountain area in FiO, 0.11 (4,000 meter in altitude) and exercise we have measured changes in permeability of the alveolar·capillary interface. The permeability index was delivered from the half time clearance from lung to blood (T~LB) of 09mTC-DTPA, inhaled through mouth into lung by nebulizer in a 1ml bolus 7 persons with no smoking history (average 40 year of age, 4 men and 3 women) were studied as foll' owmgs 1. Baseline T~LB values (control, A) were 60±2.64 (standard Deviation , S.D.) minutes which measured in resting supine position and room air. 2. Initial hypoxia T~LB values were 49.8±3. 89(S. D.) minutes which measured in resting supine po· sition and FiO,O. 11 for 30 minutes and significantly decreased than control value CA) (p<0.005), which implied increased pulmonary epithelial permability. 3. Exercise·hypoxia T~LB values (e) were 29.8±2. 73 (S.D.) minutes which measured in FiO, 0.11 and pedalling bicycle (Ergotest 4000) with supine posi· tion and significantly decreased than initial hypoxia value (B) (p<0.005) , which implied increased pulmonary epithelial permeability. 4. Later hypoxia T~LB values (D) were 48.1±38 (S.D.) minutes which measured in resting supine position and FiO, O. 11 for 30 minutes and markedly increased than exercise hypoxic value (C) (p< 0.005) which implied improvement of pulmonary epithelial permeability. Later control values (E) were 57±2.64 (S.D.) minutes which measured in resting supine position and room air. Baseline and later control values were similier (p>O. l) . 5. Hypoxic condition and exercise migh induce to increase 09mTc-DTPA permeability index of pul· monary alveolar'capillary interface with unknown causes.