Long-lasting effect of prolonged hypoxemia after birth on the immediate ventilatory response to changes in arterial partial pressure of oxygen in young lambs

The effect of prolonged hypoxemia (H) after birth on the evolution of the ventilatory response to changes in arterial partial pressure of O2 was determined in unanesthetized, awake lambs. H was induced for 12 d after birth in seven lambs through exposure to 0.10 fraction of inspired O2 (FiO2). Five control (C) lambs were kept in 0.21 FiO2. The ventilatory response (percent increase from baseline) to acute hypoxia was tested with 0.14 FiO2 and 0.10 FiO2. The tonic activity of the peripheral chemoreceptors was assessed by the transient pure oxygen inhalation test (Dejours' test). The occlusion technique was used to measure the baseline neuromuscular drive of breathing. A markedly decreased early ventilatory response to acute hypoxia persisted in the H lambs for at least 5 wk after termination of H compared with the C group. The second phase of the response was significantly lower only at 12 d (the end of H) and was thereafter comparable to that in the C lambs. The ventilatory response to hyperoxia was significantly lower in the H lambs only at the end of hypoxemia at 12 d and rapidly normalized after return to normoxia. H did not significantly affect resting neuromuscular drive. These results show that postnatal maturation of the ventilatory response to changes in arterial partial pressure of O2 can be delayed by prolonged postnatal hypoxemia. The effect on the response to hyperoxia is transient, whereas the response to acute hypoxia is affected for an extended time. This study illustrates the importance of an adequate postnatal arterial partial pressure of O2 for the development of the ventilatory response to acute hypoxia.