Responses in muscle sympathetic activity to acute hypoxia in humans

Responses in muscle sympathetic activity (MSA) to acute hypoxia were studied in 13 healthy male subjects under hypobaric hypoxic conditions at a simulated altitude of 4,000, 5,000, and 6,000 m. Efferent postganglionic MSA was recorded directly with a tungsten microelectrode inserted percutaneously into the tibial nerve. Heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) were counted respectively from the R wave of an electrocardiogram and from the respiratory tracing recorded by the strain-gauge method. The average values of the MSA burst rate and total activity of MSA (burst rate x mean burst amplitude) at 4,000, 5,000, and 6,000 m were 36.4 +/- 2.6, 39.1 +/- 3.1, and 40.2 +/- 4.2 (SE) bursts/min and 616 +/- 138, 794 +/- 190, and 764 +/- 227 arbitrary units, respectively. These values were significantly higher than the values of 27.1 +/- 2.9 bursts/min and 446 +/- 28 at sea level. HR increased significantly at altitudes, but RR did not show significant change. Under severe hypoxic conditions beyond 5,000 m, there were large interindividual differences in the MSA responsiveness to hypoxia. The results indicate that MSA is activated under hypoxia by stimulating the chemoreceptors. However, the central controlling mechanisms that would be affected by hypoxia may also influence the MSA responsiveness under severe hypoxia.