Splanchnic blood flow, O2 consumption, removal of lactate, and output of glucose in highlanders

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
An impairment of gluconeogenesis has been proposed to explain the low arterial blood glucose of highlanders. Splanchnic blood flow, splanchnic uptake of O2 and lactate, and output of glucose in 9 normal and 6 anemic highlanders at an altitude of 3,750 m was studied. Splanchnic blood flow, arteriovenous difference for O2 and O2 consumption were comparable at rest in both groups and in lowlanders from the literature, but splanchnic output of glucose, and uptake of lactate were approximately twice those in lowlanders. After 10 min of mild exercise in 12 subjects (7 normals, 5 anemic), no significant changes in splanchnic hemodynamics and metabolism were found. During 29% O2 breathing in 8 subjects (5 normals, 3 anemics), arterial lactate, splanchnic uptake of lactate and output of glucose fell to normal sea-level values. Splanchnic hemodynamics are apparently similar in adapted highlanders and in lowlanders, and there is no evidence of an impaired gluconeogenesis at the altitude of this study.