Muscle oxygenation during exercise under hypoxic conditions assessed by spatially resolved broadband NIR spectroscopy

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is used for the non-invasive measurement of muscle oxygenation during an incremental cycle test in healthy volunteers. A broad band spatially resolved system is used that allows the reliability of current algorithms to be inspected with the main emphasis on tissue oxygen saturation (SO2) and oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin concentrations. Physiological conditions were modulated by changing oxygen supply from normal (21 % O2 in inspired air) to conditions corresponding to 2000 and 4000 m altitude above sea level (15.4 and 11.9 % O2). Under these hypoxic conditions the decrease in SO2 with increased exercise power is highly correlated with the oxygen content of the inspired air. There is a clear correlation with physiological parameters (heart rate, pulse oxymetry, blood gas, lactate, spirometric data). Skin oxygenation parameters are compared to those of muscle.