Severe Hypoxic Exercise Does Not Impair Lung Diffusion in Elite Swimmers

García, Iker, Franchek Drobnic, Casimiro Javierre, Victoria Pons, and Ginés Viscor. Severe hypoxic exercise does not impair lung diffusion in elite swimmers. High Alt Med Biol. 22:90–95, 2021. Background: Exercise performed at high altitude may cause a subclinical pulmonary interstitial edema that can worsen gas exchange function. This study aimed to evaluate whether there are changes alveolar–capillary after during short-term exposure hypobaric hypoxia Materials Methods: Seven swimmers (age: 20.4 ± 1.4 years, height: 1.78 10.8 m, body mass: 69.7 11.1 kg) participated the study. Diffusing capacity of lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO), transfer coefficient monoxide, pulse oximeter oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR) were measured sea level rest (SL-R), (4,000 m), both (HA-R) end moderate interval (HA-E). Results: The combined did change DLCO from SL-R HA-R, or HA-E (43.8 9.8 41.3 10.5 42.4 8.6 ml minutes−1 mmHg−1, p = 0.391). As expected, showed large decrease SpO2 (72 5; < 0.001) increase HR (139 9 beats minutes−1; 0.003) HA-E. Conclusions: An acute high-altitude with submaximal alveolar-capillary