Steier, Joerg, Nic Cade, Ben Walker, John Moxham, and Caroline Jolley. Observational study of neural respiratory drive during sleep at high altitude. High Alt Med Biol. 18:242–248, 2017.

Aims: Ventilation at altitude changes due to altered levels of pO₂, pCO₂ and the effect on blood pH. Nocturnal ventilation is particularly exposed to these changes. We hypothesized that an increasing neural respiratory drive (NRD) is associated with the severity of sleep-disordered breathing at altitude.

Methods: Mountaineers were studied at sea level (London, United Kingdom), and at altitude at the Aconcagua (Andes, Argentina). NRD was measured as electromyogram of the diaphragm (EMGdi) overnight by a transesophageal multi-electrode catheter; results were reported for sea level, 3,380 m, 4,370 m, and 5,570 m.

Results: Four healthy subjects (3 men, age 31(3)years, body mass index 23.6(0.9)kg/m², neck circumference 37.0(2.7)cm, forced expiratory volume in 1 second 111.8(5.1)%predicted, and forced vital capacity 115.5(6.3)%predicted) were studied. No subject had significant sleep abnormalities at sea level. Time to ascent to 3,380 m was 1 day, to 4,370 m was 5 days, and the total nights at altitude were 21 days. The oxygen desaturation index (4% oxygen desaturation index [ODI] 0.8(0.4), 22.0 (7.2), 61.4 (26.9), 144.9/hour, respectively) and the EMGdi (5.2 (1.9), 12.8 (5.1), 14.1 (3.4), 18.5%, respectively) increased with the development of periodic breathing at altitude, whereas the average SpO₂ declined (97.5 (1.3), 84.8 (0.5), 81.0 (4.1), 68.5%, respectively). The average EMGdi correlated well with the 4%ODI (r = 0.968, p = 0.032).

Conclusion: NRD sleep increases at altitude in relation to the severity of periodic breathing.