Dynamics of Physiological Parameters in Lugansk Students During Internship in the Highlands

Abstract

Adverse ecological conditions put a strain on the functional reserves of young people. Hypoxic training in the mountains is the gold standard of adaptive physiology. The purpose of this paper was to study the physiological parameters of young Lugansk residents moving from the lowlands to the highlands. Materials and methods. Students of Lugansk State Pedagogical University (n = 19) were examined before, during and after their stay in the Elbrus region. To monitor the physiological parameters, pulse oximetry was performed using the MD300M device, blood pressure was measured using the auscultation method, Kérdö index and CO2 concentration in the blood using capnometry were determined. Results. The baseline level of health in students was found to be low. After a 5-day stay in the mountains, a certain increase in physiological well-being was noted, which persisted upon returning to Lugansk (aftereffect period). Namely, heart rate (HR) decreased from 86.14 ± 3.63 to 81.16 ± 2.19 bpm; 10 days later the effect remained: HR was 80.87 ± 4.77 bpm. Oxygen saturation increased from 94.86 ± 0.31 to 96.16 ± 0.32 %; on the 10th day upon returning to the city, it was 95.29 ± 0.33 %. Autonomic balance shifted from sympathicotonia (Kérdö index = 22.92 ± 5.48 conventional units) towards normotonia (Kérdö index = 15.56 ± 3.55 conventional units). CO2 concentration in the arterial blood was 4.73 ± 0.08 % at baseline, 5.03 ± 0.15 % on the 3rd day in the mountains, 5.16 ± 0.20 % on the 2nd day of aftereffect, and 4.86 ± 0.09 % on the 10th day. Breath-holding time increased, which indicates that adaptation to hypoxia occurred. During their stay in the mountains, students went on daily hikes at 1500– 3450 m above sea level. The fluctuating mode of hypoxic training was accompanied by a subjective feeling of unwellness, weakness and vertigo, which is understandable considering the mechanisms of physiological adaptation to hypoxia. The results of the study confirm that measures need to be taken in order to increase the level of functional reserves of young people living in Lugansk.