Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-820976
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York
Arterial Oxygen Saturation and Heart Rate Variation During Breath-Holding: Comparison between Breath-Hold Divers and Controls
Publication History
Accepted after revision: February 8, 2004
Publication Date:
26 August 2004 (online)
![](https://www.thieme-connect.de/media/sportsmed/200503/lookinside/thumbnails/10.1055-s-2004-820976-1.jpg)
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
- 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
- 3 Asmussen E, Kristiansson N G. The diving bradycardia in exercising man. Acta Physiol Scand. 1968; 73 527-535
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 14 Ferretti G. Extreme human breath-hold diving. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001; 84 254-271
- 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
- 16 Fletcher E C, Costarangos C, Miller T. The rate of fall of oxyhemoglobin saturation in obstructive sleep apnea. Chest. 1989; 96 717-722
- 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
- 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
- 19 Gooden B A. Mechanism of the human diving response. Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 1994; 29 6-16
- 20 Heistad D D, Abboud F, Eckstein J W. Vasoconstriction response to simulated diving in man. J Appl Physiol. 1968; 25 542-549
- 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
- 22 Irving L. Bradycardia in human divers. J Appl Physiol. 1963; 18 489-491
- 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
- 24 Lemaître F, Bedu M, Coudert J. Pulmonary function of recreational divers: a cross-sectional study. Int J Sports Med. 2002; 23 273-278
- 25 Lindholm P, Sundblad P, linnarsson D. Oxygen conserving effects of apnea in exercising men. J Appl Physiol. 1999; 87 2122-2127
- 26 Manley L. Apnoeic heart rate response in humans. Sports Med. 1990; 9 286-310
- 27 Openshaw P JM, Woodroof G MF. Effect of lung volume on the diving response in man. J Appl Physiol. 1978; 45 783-785
- 28 Paulev P E. Cardiac rhythm during breath-hold diving and breath holding in air. Acta Physiol Scand. 1968; 73 139-150
- 29 Paulev P E, Wetterqvist H. Cardiac output during breath-holding in man. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1968; 22 115-123
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 33 Schagatay E, Andersson J. Diving response and apneic time in humans. Undersea Hyperb Med. 1998; 25 13-19
- 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
- 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
- 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
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