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Circadian rhythm of peripheral perfusion during 10-day hypoxic confinement and bed rest

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Abstract

Introduction

Future planetary habitats will be hypobaric and hypoxic to reduce the risk of decompression sickness during preparation for extra-vehicular activities. This study was part of a research programme investigating the combined effects of hypoxia and microgravity on physiological systems.

Purpose

We tested the hypothesis that hypoxia-induced peripheral vasoconstriction persists at night and is aggravated by bed rest. Since sleep onset has been causally linked to nocturnal vasodilatation, we reasoned that hypoxia-induced vasoconstriction at night may explain sleep disturbances at altitude. Peripheral perfusion alterations as a consequence of bed rest may explain poor sleep quality reported during sojourns on the International Space Station.

Methods

Eleven males underwent three 10-day interventions in a randomised order: (1) hypoxic ambulatory confinement; (2) hypoxic bed rest; (3) normoxic bed rest. During each intervention we conducted 22-h monitoring of peripheral perfusion, as reflected by the skin temperature gradient. Measurements were conducted on the first (D 1) and last day (D 10) of each intervention.

Results

All interventions resulted in a decrease in daytime toe perfusion from D 1 to D 10. There was no difference in the magnitude of the daytime reduction in toe perfusion between the three interventions. There was a significant vasodilatation of the toes in all interventions by 11 pm. The fingertips remained well perfused throughout.

Conclusions

Daytime vasoconstriction induced by hypoxia and/or bed rest is abolished at night, lending further support to the theory that changes in peripheral skin temperature may be functionally linked to sleep onset.

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Abbreviations

AMS:

Acute mountain sickness

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

AP:

Arterial pressure

BR:

Bed rest

BF:

Body fat

BMI:

Body mass index

CO2 :

Carbon Dioxide

∆Tc-t:

Calf–toe temperature gradient

∆Tfo-fi:

Forearm—fingertip temperature gradient

∆Tp-d:

Proximal to distal skin temperature gradient

DAP:

Diastolic arterial pressure

EPO:

Erythropoietin

ESA:

European Space Agency

EVA:

Extra-vehicular activity

FiO2 :

Fraction of inspired oxygen

HL:

Heat loss

HAMB:

Hypoxic ambulatory confinement

HBR:

Hypoxic bed rest

HP:

Heat production

HR:

Heart rate

LLS:

Lake Louis Mountain Sickness Score

MSR:

Modular Signal Recorder

NBR:

Normoxic bed rest

O2 :

Oxygen

PiO2 :

Inspired partial pressure of oxygen

RBC:

Red blood cell count

SAP:

Systolic arterial pressure

SpO2 :

Capillary oxyhemoglobin saturation

Taural:

Aural temperature

Tb:

Body core temperature

TRIMP:

Training impulse

Tsk:

Skin temperature

VO2 :

Oxygen uptake

VPSA:

Vacuum pressure swing adsorption

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported, in part, by the European Space Agency (ESA) Programme for European Cooperating States (ESTEC/Contract No. 40001043721/11/NL/KML: Planetary Habitat Simulation), and by the Slovene Research Agency (Grant No. L3-3654: Zero and reduced gravity simulation: The effect on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems). As this study was part of a larger research programme we would like to acknowledge the excellent efforts of the many other researchers and assistants involved throughout the entire bed rest campaign.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest and no competing financial ties exist.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Adam C. McDonnell & Igor B. Mekjavic

  2. Jozef Stefan Institute International Postgraduate School, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Adam C. McDonnell

  3. Department of Environmental Physiology, Swedish Aerospace Physiology Centre, Royal Institute of Technology, Berzelius väg 13, 171 65, Solna, Sweden

    Ola Eiken

  4. Eye Clinic, University Clinical Centre Ljubljana, Grablovičeva 46, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Polona Jaki Mekjavic

Authors
  1. Adam C. McDonnell
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  2. Ola Eiken
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  3. Polona Jaki Mekjavic
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  4. Igor B. Mekjavic
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adam C. McDonnell.

Additional information

Communicated by Carsten Lundby.

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McDonnell, A.C., Eiken, O., Mekjavic, P.J. et al. Circadian rhythm of peripheral perfusion during 10-day hypoxic confinement and bed rest. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 2093–2104 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2923-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2923-9

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