THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEV1, DLCO and VO2max TENDS TO DECREASE WITH ALTITUDE

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: A study of the repercussions of hypobaric hypoxia in a cohort of volunteer workers employed at the Sierra Nevada Ski Resort, followed for two years, is been conducted. The overall aim is to study the impact of hypobaric hypoxia in this group of workers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Subjects were grouped according to the intensity of their work and altitude at which they work. Ergospirometry with oxygen consumption and respiratory functional tests were performed, determining lung volumes and DLCO. <bold>Results:</bold> A relationship between maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) measured by ergospirometry and DLCO (r=0.63, p=2.1e-10) was observed, especially in the group of workers working at 2000 m (r=0.69, p= 5.7e-07), the relationship being less direct in those subjects working at an altitude of 2500 m (r=0.52; p=0.00037) (Figure 1). A relationship between FEV1 and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was also observed, being in that case also closer in the subjects working at an altitude of 2000 m (r=0.69, p=7e-07), than in the group of volunteers working at an altitude of 2500 m (r=0.51, p=0.00051) (Figure 2). <bold>Conclusions:</bold> There is a greater correlation between DLCO and FEV1 with VO2max in workers who work at 2000 m compared to those at 2500 m. As the altitude increases, the expected linearity between these variables tends to decrease, which leads us to think that the altitude factor introduces some modification in this association.