Biomedical subjects

Marc J Poulin

Publications and source records attributed to Marc J Poulin.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Changes in cerebral blood flow during and after 48 h of both isocapnic and poikilocapnic hypoxia in humans.

During acclimatization to the hypoxia of altitude, the cerebral circulation is exposed to arterial hypoxia and hypocapnia, two stimuli with opposing influences on cerebral blood flow (CBF). In order to understand the resultant changes in CBF, this study examined the responses of CBF during a period of constant mild hypoxia both with and without concomitant regulation of arterial P(CO2). Nine subjects were each exposed to two protocols in a purpose-built chamber: (1) 48 h of isocapnic hypoxia (Protocol I), where end-tidal P(O2) (P(ET,O2)) was held at 60 Torr and end-tidal P(CO2) (P(ET,CO2)) at the subject's resting value prior to experimentation; and (2) 48 h of poikilocapnic hypoxia (Protocol P), where P(ET,O2) was held at 60 Torr and P(ET,CO2) was uncontrolled. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound was used to assess CBF. At 24 h intervals during and after the hypoxic exposure CBF was measured and the sensitivity of CBF to acute variations in P(O2) and P(CO2) was determined. During Protocol P, P(ET,CO2) decreased by 13% (P < 0.001) and CBF decreased by 6% (P < 0.05), whereas during Protocol I, P(ET,CO2) and CBF remained unchanged. The sensitivity of CBF to acute variations in P(O2) and P(CO2) increased by 103% (P < 0.001) and 28% (P < 0.01), respectively, over the 48 h period of hypoxia. These changes did not differ between protocols. In conclusion, CBF decreases during mild poikilocapnic hypoxia, indicating that there is a predominant effect on CBF of the associated arterial hypocapnia. This fall occurs despite increases in the sensitivity of CBF to acute variations in P(O2)/P(CO2) arising directly from the hypoxic exposure.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of five nights of normobaric hypoxia on cardiovascular responses to acute isocapnic hypoxia in humans: relationship to ventilatory chemosensitivity.

The aim of this study was to elucidate (1) the cardiovascular responses to acute isocapnic hypoxia stimuli following five nights of normobaric poikilocapnic hypoxia, and (2) whether the changes in the cardiovascular responses to hypoxia are correlated to the change in acute hypoxic ventilatory (AHVR) chemosensitivity. Twelve male subjects [26.6 +/- 4.1 (SD) years] slept 8-9 h day(-1) overnight for five consecutive days at a simulated altitude of 4300 m (FiO2 = approximately 13.8%). Using the technique of dynamic end-tidal forcing, the AHVR was assessed twice, prior to and immediately after the hypoxic exposure. During each AHVR test, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously using finger photoplethysmography and an ECG monitor, respectively. Immediately following the exposure, AHVR and MAP sensitivities were increased by 1.80 +/- 1.30 l min(-1) %(-1) (p < 0.01) and 0.69 +/- 0.40 mmHg %(-1) (p < 0.05), respectively, and there were significant correlations between the increases in the AHVR and MAP sensitivities (r = 0.67; p < 0.05). In summary, following five nights of normobaric hypoxia, there is an enhanced MAP response to hypoxic stimuli. The relationship between the enhanced AHVR and MAP sensitivity raises the possibility of a common pathway in the regulation of peripheral chemosensitivity and MAP responses during periods of isocapnic hypoxia.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Differences between middle cerebral artery blood velocity waveforms of young and postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: We characterized middle cerebral artery (MCA) blood flow velocity waveforms measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in premenopausal (26.6 +/- 6.1 years, mean +/- SD) and postmenopausal (54.0 +/- 3.6 years) women, of whom six were receiving hormone therapy (PM-HT) and seven were not (PM-non-HT). We hypothesized that feature points on MCA waveforms are altered in postmenopausal women compared with those in young women. DESIGN: A short protocol involved maintaining end-tidal PO2 at euoxia (88 mm Hg) and end-tidal PCO2 at 1.5 mm Hg above eucapnic values using a dynamic end-tidal forcing system. Doppler data for the velocity spectral outline (Vp) were collected every 10 ms, and velocity waveform analyses were done on a beat-by-beat basis. Waveform features were identified over each cardiac cycle, including the average Vp (VCYC), maximum acceleration (AMAX), and the ratio of the velocity at the reflected wave and the velocity at peak systole (VR:VMAX). RESULTS: VCYC was unchanged between premenopausal and postmenopausal women (69.4 +/- 9.6 and 67.5 +/- 11.1 cm/s, respectively). AMAX was significantly higher (P = 0.007) in premenopausal women (987.9 +/- 280.7 cm/s) compared with postmenopausal women (743.1 +/- 100.3). Conversely, VR:VMAX was significantly smaller (P < 0.001) in premenopausal women (0.90 +/- 0.09) compared with postmenopausal women (1.11 +/- 0.05). In postmenopausal women, the reflected wave is higher than the maximum velocity at peak systole, suggesting the presence of a shoulder in the MCA waveform. CONCLUSIONS: Further investigations are required to assess whether this waveform analysis can provide insight into pathophysiologic changes in cerebral hemodynamics with aging.

Adult↗