Effects of Acute Exposure and Acclimatization to High-Altitude on Oxygen Saturation and Related Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Health and Disease

Maximal values of aerobic power (VO(2)max) and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO(2)max) decline in parallel with gain in altitude. Whereas this relationship has been well investigated when acutely exposed to high altitude, potential benefits of acclimatization on SpO(2) and related VO(2)max in healthy and diseased individuals have been much less considered. Therefore, this narrative review was primarily aimed to identify relevant literature reporting altitude-dependent changes in determinants, in particular SpO(2), of VO(2)max and effects of acclimatization in athletes, healthy non-athletes, and patients suffering from cardiovascular, respiratory and/or metabolic diseases. Moreover, focus was set on potential differences with regard to baseline exercise performance, age and sex. Main findings of this review emphasize the close association between individual SpO(2) and VO(2)max, and demonstrate similar altitude effects (acute and during acclimatization) in healthy people and those suffering from cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, in patients with ventilatory constrains, i.e., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, steep decline in SpO(2) and V?O(2)max and reduced potential to acclimatize stress the already low exercise performance. Finally, implications for prevention and therapy are briefly discussed.

Automated summary

Maximal values of aerobic power and peripheral oxygen saturation decline with increasing altitude. Previous studies have mainly focused on the acute effects at high altitude and have paid less attention to the effects of acclimatization on healthy and diseased individuals. This review found a close association between individual peripheral oxygen saturation and aerobic power, and similar altitude effects in healthy people and those with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, patients with ventilatory constrains, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, show a sharp decline in peripheral oxygen saturation and aerobic power, which reduces their ability to acclimatize and perform exercise.