6533b7d2fe1ef96bd125f5fb

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Plasma leptin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in normal subjects at high altitude (5050 m)

Attilio LicciardiAnna BonannoGiuseppe MoriciClaudio PassinoDaniela BonardiMirella ProfitaAnnalisa CogoMaria R. BonsignoreN. LocorotondoPaolo PalangeGabriele Valli

subject

AdultLeptinMaleVascular Endothelial Growth Factor Amedicine.medical_specialtyperiodic breathingPhysiologySettore MED/10 - Malattie Dell'Apparato RespiratorioBiologyNocturnalSettore BIO/09 - FisiologiaNOHypoxemiachemistry.chemical_compoundPhysiology (medical)Internal medicinemedicineHumanssleepExercisemaximal exercise testhypoxiaAltitudeHypoxia maximal exercise test metabolism periodic breathing sleepLeptinHypoxia; Maximal exercise test; Metabolism; Periodic breathing; Sleep; Adult; Exercise; Female; Humans; Hypoxia; Leptin; Male; Oxyhemoglobins; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Altitude; Healthy Volunteers; Physiology; Physiology (medical)hypoxia; maximal exercise test; sleep; periodic breathing; metabolismIntermittent hypoxiaGeneral MedicineHypoxia (medical)Effects of high altitude on humansHealthy VolunteersVascular endothelial growth factorEndocrinologychemistryOxyhemoglobinsPeriodic breathingFemalemedicine.symptommetabolism

description

Context: High altitude (HA) is a model of severe hypoxia exposure in humans. We hypothesized that nocturnal hypoxemia or acute maximal exercise at HA might affect plasma leptin and VEGF levels. Objectives: Plasma leptin, VEGF and other metabolic variables were studied after nocturnal pulse oximetry and after maximal exercise in healthy lowlanders on the 3rd-4th day of stay in Lobuche (5050 m, HA) and after return to sea level (SL). Results: Leptin was similar at SL or HA in both pre- and post-exercise conditions. Pre-exercise VEGF at HA was lower, and cortisol was higher, than at SL, suggesting that nocturnal intermittent hypoxia associated with periodic breathing at HA might affect these variables. Conclusions: Leptin levels appear unaffected at HA, whereas nocturnal hypoxic stress may affect plasma VEGF. Future HA studies should investigate the possible role of nocturnal intermittent hypoxemia on metabolism.

https://doi.org/10.3109/13813455.2013.814679