Hematological and ventilatory responses to a 3900 m altitude sojourn in an elite wheelchair-marathoner.

This case study aimed to report blood markers and resting respiratory rate (RR) oscillations at sea level, during a 5-wk 3900 m altitude sojourn, and after returning to sea level in a 36-year-old professional wheelchair marathoner. Outcome measures plasma erythropoietin (EPO) concentration, hemoglobin, reticulocytes count, erythrocytes and hematocrit as well as RR were measured upon wakening 7-weeks pre-altitude, 7-days pre-altitude, 35 hours after arrival to altitude, on days 8, 15, 21, 28 and 35 at altitude, 6 and 16 days after returning to sea level. EPO increased up to 259 % (31.6 U l-1) 35 hours upon arrival at altitude and decreased below pre-altitude level (12.2 U l-1) on the 21st da…