Wang Chengshuo, Zhang Linli, Liu Zejian, Chen Ziyan, Li Ying, Fu Yanxin, Xiang Aomeng, Qi Jingman, Zhao Ruoxuan, Wu Liang, Gu Lei
Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, Beijing, China.
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, Tianjin University of Sport, Tianjin, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 10;15(1):24826. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07474-9.
Due to the unique plateau climate, such as low atmospheric pressure, hypoxia, cold, and dryness, people in plain areas will have a series of physiological and pathological changes after entering the plateau. This observational study was designed to assess the effects of long-term very high-altitude (HA) exposure on the cardiopulmonary function of healthy adults in plain areas through cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). We tracked and observed 45 healthy adult men or women from the plain area (Beijing, with an altitude of approximately 40 m). They worked and lived in very HA areas (Lhasa, with an altitude of approximately 3,700 m) for 5 months before returning to plain areas. Participants completed health checkups, including basic physiological indexes, static pulmonary function tests, and CPET at baseline and after very HA exposure. The resulting data showed that after long-term very HA exposure, multiple CPET indicators significantly decreased (p < 0.05), including peak oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold, peak work rate, oxygen uptake/work rate, peak oxygen uptake/heart rate, oxygen uptake efficiency slope, peak minute ventilation, peak end-expiratory carbon dioxide partial pressure, and peak cardiac output. The minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope was significantly higher than that before very HA exposure (p = 0.004). There were no significant changes in static pulmonary function (p > 0.05). In conclusion, long-term very HA exposure can lead to varying degrees of negative effects on cardiopulmonary function (including respiratory, circulatory, and metabolic function decline) in healthy adults in plain areas. The abnormality of related functional indicators may indicate that the body's adaptive compensatory mechanism to the high altitude hypobaric hypoxia environment is decompensated. It is suggested that it is necessary to implement individualized cardiopulmonary rehabilitation training as soon as possible after long-term very HA exposure to mitigate functional decline in individuals.
由于独特的高原气候，如大气压低、缺氧、寒冷和干燥，平原地区的人进入高原后会出现一系列生理和病理变化。本观察性研究旨在通过心肺运动试验（CPET）评估长期暴露于极高海拔（HA）地区对平原地区健康成年人心肺功能的影响。我们追踪观察了45名来自平原地区（北京，海拔约40米）的健康成年男性或女性。他们在极高海拔地区（拉萨，海拔约3700米）工作和生活5个月后返回平原地区。参与者在基线时以及暴露于极高海拔地区后完成了健康检查，包括基本生理指标、静态肺功能测试和CPET。结果数据显示，长期暴露于极高海拔地区后，多个CPET指标显著下降（p<0.05），包括峰值摄氧量、无氧阈值、峰值工作率、摄氧量/工作率、峰值摄氧量/心率、摄氧量效率斜率、峰值分钟通气量、峰值呼气末二氧化碳分压和峰值心输出量。分钟通气量/二氧化碳产生斜率显著高于暴露于极高海拔地区之前（p=0.004）。静态肺功能无显著变化（p>0.05）。总之，长期暴露于极高海拔地区会对平原地区健康成年人的心肺功能（包括呼吸、循环和代谢功能下降）产生不同程度的负面影响。相关功能指标的异常可能表明机体对高原低压缺氧环境的适应性代偿机制失代偿。建议在长期暴露于极高海拔地区后尽快实施个体化的心肺康复训练，以减轻个体的功能下降。
