The hypoxic ventilatory response and hypoxic burden are predictors of the magnitude of ventilatory long-term facilitation in humans.

Mild intermittent hypoxia initiates progressive augmentation (PA) and ventilatory long-term facilitation (vLTF) in humans. The magnitude of these forms of plasticity might be influenced by anthropometric and physiological variables, as well as protocol elements. However, the impact of many of these variables on the magnitude of respiratory plasticity has not been established in humans. A meta-analysis was completed using anthropometric and physiological variables obtained from 124 participants that completed one of three intermittent hypoxia protocols. Simple correlations between the aggregate variables and the magnitude of PA and vLTF standardized to baseline was completed. Thereafter, the variables correlated to PA or vLTF were input into a multilinear regression equation. Baseline measures of the hypoxic ventilatory response was the sole predictor of PA (R = 0.370, P = 0.012). Similarly, this variable along with the hypoxic burden predicted the magnitude of vLTF (R = 0.546, P < 0.006 for both variables). In addition, the magnitude of PA was strongly correlated to vLTF (R = 0.617, P < 0.001). Anthropometric measures do not predict the magnitude of PA and vLTF in humans. Alternatively, the hypoxic ventilatory response was the sole predictor of PA, and in combination with the hypoxic burden, predicted the magnitude of vLTF. These influences should be considered in the design of mild intermittent hypoxia protocol studies in humans. Moreover, the strong correlation between PA and vLTF suggests that a common mechanistic pathway may have a role in the initiation of these forms of plasticity. KEY POINTS: Mild intermittent hypoxia initiates progressive augmentation (PA) and ventilatory long-term facilitation (vLTF) in humans. Many of the anthropometric and physiological variables that could impact the magnitude of these forms of plasticity are unknown. Anthropometric and physiological variables were measured from a total of 124 participants that completed one of three distinct intermittent hypoxia protocols. The variables correlated to PA or vLTF were input into a multilinear regression analysis. The hypoxic ventilatory response was the sole predictor of PA, while this variable in addition to the average hypoxic burden predicted the magnitude of vLTF. A strong correlation between PA and vLTF was also revealed. These influences should be considered in the design of mild intermittent hypoxia protocol studies in humans. Moreover, the strong correlation between PA and vLTF suggests that a common mechanistic pathway may have a role in the initiation of these forms of plasticity.