Pulmonary haemodynamic response to exercise in highlanders lowlanders.

The aim of the study was to investigate the pulmonary haemodynamic response to exercise in Central Asian high- and lowlanders. This was a cross-sectional study in Central Asian highlanders (living >2500 m) compared with lowlanders (living <800 m), assessing cardiac function, including tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient (TRPG), cardiac index and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) by echocardiography combined with heart rate and oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry ( ) during submaximal stepwise cycle exercise (10 W increase per 3 min) at their altitude of residence (at 760 m or 3250 m, respectively). 52 highlanders (26 females; aged 47.