Pulmonary hypertension is attenuated and ventilation-perfusion matching is maintained during chronic hypoxia in deer mice native to high altitude.

Comparison between high-altitude versus low-altitude populations of deer mice, before and after chronic exposure to hypoxia in adulthood. SPECT-CT scanning was used to measure lung volume and various indices of ventilation-perfusion matching (log SDV, log SDQ, RDV, RDQ, Mean Log(V/Q), SD Log(V/Q), shunt perfusion, and dead space ventilation). Right ventricle systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricle (RV) mass relative to left ventricle plus septum (LV+S), and smooth muscle (SM) thickness in pulmonary arterial vessels were also measured to evaluate hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Additional details can be found in the associated publication: West et al. Pulmonary hypertension is attenuated and ventilation-perfusion matching is maintained during chronic hypoxia in deer mice native to high altitude.