TY - JOUR
T1 - Voluntary respiratory control and cerebral blood flow velocity upon ice-water immersion
AU - Mantoni, Teit
AU - Rasmussen, Jakob Højlund
AU - Belhage, Bo
AU - Pott, Frank Christian
AU - Mantoni, Teit
AU - Rasmussen, Jakob Højlund
AU - Belhage, Bo
AU - Pott, Frank Christian
N1 - Keywords: Adaptation, Physiological; Adult; Analysis of Variance; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Cold Temperature; Female; Humans; Hypothermia; Ice; Immersion; Male; Physical Education and Training; Respiratory Mechanics; Risk Factors; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
PY - 2008/8/1
Y1 - 2008/8/1
N2 - INTRODUCTION: In non-habituated subjects, cold-shock response to cold-water immersion causes rapid reduction in cerebral blood flow velocity (approximately 50%) due to hyperventilation, increasing risk of syncope, aspiration, and drowning. Adaptation to the response is possible, but requires several cold immersions. This study examines whether thorough instruction enables non-habituated persons to attenuate the ventilatory component of cold-shock response. METHODS: There were nine volunteers (four women) who were lowered into a 0 degrees C immersion tank for 60 s. Middle cerebral artery mean velocity (CBFV) was measured together with ventilatory parameters and heart rate before, during, and after immersion. RESULTS: Within seconds after immersion in ice-water, heart rate increased significantly from 95 +/- 8 to 126 +/- 7 bpm (mean +/- SEM). Immersion was associated with an elevation in respiratory rate (from 12 +/- 3 to 21 +/- 5 breaths, min(-1)) and tidal volume (1022 +/- 142 to 1992 +/- 253 ml). Though end-tidal carbon dioxide tension decreased from 4.9 +/- 0.13 to 3.9 +/- 0.21 kPa, CBFV was insignificantly reduced by 7 +/- 4% during immersion with a brief nadir of 21 +/- 4%. DISCUSSION: Even without prior cold-water experience, subjects were able to suppress reflex hyperventilation following ice-water immersion, maintaining the cerebral blood flow velocity at a level not associated with impaired consciousness. This study implies that those susceptible to accidental cold-water immersion could benefit from education in cold-shock response and the possibility of reducing the ventilatory response voluntarily.
AB - INTRODUCTION: In non-habituated subjects, cold-shock response to cold-water immersion causes rapid reduction in cerebral blood flow velocity (approximately 50%) due to hyperventilation, increasing risk of syncope, aspiration, and drowning. Adaptation to the response is possible, but requires several cold immersions. This study examines whether thorough instruction enables non-habituated persons to attenuate the ventilatory component of cold-shock response. METHODS: There were nine volunteers (four women) who were lowered into a 0 degrees C immersion tank for 60 s. Middle cerebral artery mean velocity (CBFV) was measured together with ventilatory parameters and heart rate before, during, and after immersion. RESULTS: Within seconds after immersion in ice-water, heart rate increased significantly from 95 +/- 8 to 126 +/- 7 bpm (mean +/- SEM). Immersion was associated with an elevation in respiratory rate (from 12 +/- 3 to 21 +/- 5 breaths, min(-1)) and tidal volume (1022 +/- 142 to 1992 +/- 253 ml). Though end-tidal carbon dioxide tension decreased from 4.9 +/- 0.13 to 3.9 +/- 0.21 kPa, CBFV was insignificantly reduced by 7 +/- 4% during immersion with a brief nadir of 21 +/- 4%. DISCUSSION: Even without prior cold-water experience, subjects were able to suppress reflex hyperventilation following ice-water immersion, maintaining the cerebral blood flow velocity at a level not associated with impaired consciousness. This study implies that those susceptible to accidental cold-water immersion could benefit from education in cold-shock response and the possibility of reducing the ventilatory response voluntarily.
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 18717115
SN - 0095-6562
VL - 79
SP - 765
EP - 768
JO - Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
JF - Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
IS - 8
ER -