Open questions which can be addressed with human hypoxia models
Human hypoxia models would be particularly suitable for the testing of
pharmacological interventions for pulmonary arterial hypertension that
share arterial hypoxia caused by high altitude or by underlying
pulmonary disease, as it captures the fundamental pathophysiological
mechanism underlying the increased pulmonary vascular resistance.
Considering that home oxygen therapy is often effective in reducing
dyspnea and improving physical capacity in these conditions, it can be
extrapolated that clinical trials under controlled ambient hypoxia can
serve as a meaningful research tool. Episodes of desaturation during
sleep is another trait of pulmonary arterial hypertension, which could
be easily modelled by periodic reduction of ambient oxygen.
The 2022 ESC/ERS Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary
hypertension call on to perform more studies on the responses of
patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension at altitude [63]. 120
million people worldwide live above 2500 meters. Because research at
geographic altitude can be a logistical challenge, these conditions
could be perfectly simulated under the optimal conditions of a
laboratory human hypoxia model.