Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2005; 26(3): 177-181
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-820976
Physiology & Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Arterial Oxygen Saturation and Heart Rate Variation During Breath-Holding: Comparison between Breath-Hold Divers and Controls

J. Delahoche1 , P. Delapille1 , F. Lemaître1 , E. Verin2 , C. Tourny-Chollet1
  • 1Centre d'Etudes des Transformations des Activités Physiques et Sportives (CETAPS), Jeune Equipe UPRES no. 2318, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l'Education Physique de Rouen, Université de Rouen, Rouen, France
  • 2Laboratoire de Physiologie Respiratoire et Sportive, CHU de Rouen Charles Nicolle, Rouen, France
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: February 8, 2004

Publication Date:
26 August 2004 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Breath-holding induces cardiovascular responses, notably bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction, which are known collectively as the diving response. This response is oxygen-conserving, i.e. an augmented response attenuates arterial oxygen desaturation, and is enhanced by apnoea training. To test this hypothesis, we compared heart rate (HR) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) in breath-hold divers (BHD) and non-divers (ND). Nine BHD and nine healthy ND performed two static apnoeas (for 30 s and 45 s) and two dynamic apnoeas (for 30 s and 45 s) while swimming underwater at 0.7 m · s-1. The pool temperature was 26 °C. The apnoeas were performed at 60 % of forced vital capacity. Heart rate (HR) and SaO2 were recorded before breath-holding and at its end and are expressed in % change from rest values (ΔHR and ΔSaO2). Comparisons between BHD and ND showed that ΔSaO2 were lower in divers after both static apnoeas for 30 s and 45 s (- 2.8 % vs. - 5.5 %; - 3.2 % vs. 6.3 %; p < 0.05, respectively) and dynamic apnoeas (- 6 % vs. - 10.1 %; - 7.2 % vs. - 12.3 %; p < 0.05, respectively). The change in HR did not differ between the two groups and negative linear relations were found between ΔHR and ΔSaO2 in both divers and ND (r = 0.66 and 0.61, respectively; p < 0.001). Moreover, the slope was lower for the divers (- 0.785 vs. - 0.1429; p < 0.001). Our results suggest that apnoea training explained the greater oxygen conservation seen in the divers in both static and dynamic conditions.

Key words

Breath-holding - arterial oxygen saturation - training - bradycardia

References

  • 1 Andersson J, Schagatay E. Arterial oxygen desaturation during apnea in humans.  Undersea Hyperb Med. 1998;  25 21-25
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 2 Andersson J, Liner M H, Rünow E, Schagatay E. Diving response and arterial oxygen saturation during apnea and exercise in breath-hold divers.  J Appl Physiol. 2002;  93 882-886
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 3 Asmussen E, Kristiansson N G. The diving bradycardia in exercising man.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1968;  73 527-535
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 4 Benoit H, Coste F, Feason L, Lacour J R, Roche F, Denis C, Geyssant A, Barthelemy J C. Accuracy of pulse oximetry during intense exercise under severe hypoxic conditions.  Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1997;  76 260-263
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 5 Bove A A, Lynch P R, Connell Jr J V, Harding J M. Diving reflex after physical training.  J Appl Physiol. 1968;  25 70-72
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 6 Campbell L B, Gooden B A, Horowits J D. Cardiovascular response to partial and total immersion in man.  J Physiol London. 1969;  202 239-250
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 7 Corriol J H, Rohner J J. Rôle de la température de l'eau dans la bradycardie d'immersion de la face.  Arch Sci Physiol CNRS. 1968;  22 265-274
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 8 Craig A B, Medd W L. Man's responses to breath hold exercise in air and in water.  J Appl Physiol. 1968;  24 773-777
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 9 Davis F M, Graves M P, Guy H J, Prisk G K, Tanner T E. Carbon dioxide response and breath hold times in underwater hockey players.  Undersea Biomed Res. 1987;  14 527-534
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 10 Delapille P, Tourny-Chollet C, Fourneyron V. Evaluation de la lactatémie au cours d'exercices en apnée: détermination d'une vitesse maximale de nage.  Science & Sports. 1999;  14 98-100
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 11 Delapille P, Verin E, Tourny-Chollet C, Pasquis P. Ventilatory responses to hypercapnia in divers and non-divers: effects of postures and immersion.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001;  86 97-103
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 12 Delapille P, Verin E, Tourny-Chollet C, Pasquis P. Heart rate variation after breath hold diving with different underwater swimming velocities.  J Sports Med & Phys Fit. 2002;  42 79-82
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 13 Elsner R, Gooden B, Robinson S M. Arterial blood gas changes and the diving response in man.  Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci. 1971;  49 435-444
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 14 Ferretti G. Extreme human breath-hold diving.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001;  84 254-271
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 15 Ferrigno M, Hickey D D, Liner M H, Lundgren C E. Cardiac performance in human during breath holding.  J Appl Physiol. 1986;  60 1871-1877
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 16 Fletcher E C, Costarangos C, Miller T. The rate of fall of oxyhemoglobin saturation in obstructive sleep apnea.  Chest. 1989;  96 717-722
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 17 Florio J T, Morisson J B, Butt W S. Breathing pattern and ventilatory response to carbon dioxide in divers.  J Appl Physiol. 1979;  46 1076-1080
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 18 Girandola R N, Wiswell R A, Mohler J G, Romero G T, Barnes W S. Effects of water immersion on lung volumes: implications for body composition analysis.  J Appl Physiol. 1977;  43 276-279
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 19 Gooden B A. Mechanism of the human diving response.  Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 1994;  29 6-16
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 20 Heistad D D, Abboud F, Eckstein J W. Vasoconstriction response to simulated diving in man.  J Appl Physiol. 1968;  25 542-549
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 21 Hong S K, Lin Y C, Lally D A, Yim B J, Kominari N, Hong P W, Moore T O. Alveolar gas exchanges and cardiovascular function during breath holding with air.  J Appl Physiol. 1971;  30 540-547
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 22 Irving L. Bradycardia in human divers.  J Appl Physiol. 1963;  18 489-491
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 23 Kawakami Y, Natelson B H, Dubois A B. Cardiovascular effects of face immersion and factors affecting diving reflex in man.  J Appl Physiol. 1967;  23 964-970
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 24 Lemaître F, Bedu M, Coudert J. Pulmonary function of recreational divers: a cross-sectional study.  Int J Sports Med. 2002;  23 273-278
    Thieme ConnectPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 25 Lindholm P, Sundblad P, linnarsson D. Oxygen conserving effects of apnea in exercising men.  J Appl Physiol. 1999;  87 2122-2127
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 26 Manley L. Apnoeic heart rate response in humans.  Sports Med. 1990;  9 286-310
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 27 Openshaw P JM, Woodroof G MF. Effect of lung volume on the diving response in man.  J Appl Physiol. 1978;  45 783-785
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 28 Paulev P E. Cardiac rhythm during breath-hold diving and breath holding in air.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1968;  73 139-150
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 29 Paulev P E, Wetterqvist H. Cardiac output during breath-holding in man.  Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1968;  22 115-123
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 30 Paulev P E, Pokorsky M, Honda Y, Morikawa T, Sakakibara Y, Tanaka Y. Cardiac output and heart rate in man during simulated swimming while breath holding.  Jpn J Physiol. 1990;  40 117-125
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 31 Quanjer H, Tammeling G J, Cotes J E, Pedersen O F, Peslin R, Yernault J C. Lung volumes and forced ventilatory flows.  Eur Respir J. 1993;  6 5-40
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 32 Sanchez J, Sebert P. Sex differences in cardiac responses to breath holding during dynamic and isometric exercises.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1983;  50 429-444
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 33 Schagatay E, Andersson J. Diving response and apneic time in humans.  Undersea Hyperb Med. 1998;  25 13-19
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 34 Schagatay E, Van Kampen M, Andersson J. Effect of physical and apnea training on apneic time and the diving response in humans.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000;  82 161-169
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 35 Scholander P F, Hammel H T, Lemesurier H, Hemingsen E, Garey W. Circulatory adjustment in pearl divers.  J Appl Physiol. 1962;  17 184-190
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 36 Stromme S B, Kerem D, Elsner R. Diving bradycardia during rest and exercise and its relation to physical fitness.  J Appl Physiol. 1970;  28 614-621
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar

F. Lemaître

Centre d'Etudes des Transformations des Activités Physiques et Sportives (CETAPS), Jeune Equipe UPRES no. 2318, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l'Education Physique de Rouen, Université de Rouen

34, rue de l'Hôpital

76000 Rouen

France

Phone: + 33235140486

Email: frederic.lemaitre@univ-rouen.fr