Decreased ventilatory response to exercise by dopamine-induced inhibition of peripheral chemosensitivity

• Published in: Respiratory physiology & neurobiology Vol. 168; no. 3; pp. 250 - 253
• Main Authors: Janssen, C., Beloka, S., Kayembe, P., Deboeck, G., Adamopoulos, D., Naeije, R., van de Borne, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30.09.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Autonomic nervous system; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiopulmonary exercise testing; Cardiotonic Agents - pharmacology; Chemoreceptor; Chemoreceptor Cells - drug effects; Chemoreceptor Cells - physiology; Chemoreflex; Dopamine - pharmacology; Double-Blind Method; Exercise Tolerance - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Medical Education; Oxygen Consumption - drug effects; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Ventilation - drug effects; Pulmonary/Respiratory; Vertebrates: respiratory system; Young Adult; Chemoreflex; Cardiopulmonary exercise testing; Autonomic nervous system; Chemoreceptor; Physical exercise; Dopamine; Catecholamine; Respiratory system; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Ventilatory response; Neurotransmitter; Chemosensitivity; Inhibition
• ISSN: 1569-9048; 1878-1519; 1878-1519
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2009.07.010

The contribution of the peripheral chemoreflex to the ventilatory response to exercise and aerobic exercise capacity remains incompletely understood. Low-dose dopamine has been reported to specifically inhibit the peripheral chemoreceptors. We therefore investigated the effects of intravenous dopamine (3 μg kg −1 min −1) on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) variables in 13 healthy young male subjects. The study was prospective, placebo-controlled, and randomized with more than 24 h between placebo and dopamine administrations. During the CPET, dopamine decreased the V ˙ E / V ˙ C O 2 output slope (24.61 ± 1.84 vs. 23.09 ± 1.81, placebo vs. Dopamine respectively, p = 0.025), without affecting maximum workload, V ˙ E and O 2 uptake. In conclusion, our study reveals that inhibition of peripheral chemoreflex function with dopamine decreases the V ˙ E / V ˙ C O 2 slope during dynamic exercise, with no change in aerobic exercise capacity.