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Simulation of oxygen delivery to tissues: The role of the hemoglobin oxygen equilibrium curve at altitude

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International journal of clinical monitoring and computing

Summary

A simplified model is described to estimate the oxygen delivery to tissues as a function of oxygen uptake, gas exchange ratio, 2,3-DPG/Hb concentration ratio, arterial and venous PO2, PCO2 and pH. Due to the complexity of the oxygen delivery system, the aim of this model is to predict relative changes of the oxygen delivery to tissues induced by changes of the other variables, rather than to yield absolute values. In this work, the importance of the observed shifts of the hemoglobin oxygen equilibrium curve at altitude is evaluated in terms of the efficiency of the oxygen transport system. it will be shown that a rightward shift of the oxygen equilibrium curve is beneficial up to 5400 m.a.s.l., while for higher altitudes such shifts lead toless efficient oxygen delivery to tissues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, Universitá degli Studi di Milano, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milano, Italy

    Michele Samaja

  2. Département de Physiologie de l’Université, C. M. U., 1 rue Michel Servet, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland

    Pietro E. diPrampero & Paolo Cerretelli

Authors
  1. Michele Samaja
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  2. Pietro E. diPrampero
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  3. Paolo Cerretelli
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Samaja, M., diPrampero, P.E. & Cerretelli, P. Simulation of oxygen delivery to tissues: The role of the hemoglobin oxygen equilibrium curve at altitude. J Clin Monit Comput 2, 95–99 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916237

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916237

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