Cardiovascular determinants of maximal oxygen consumption in upright and supine posture at the end of prolonged bed rest in humans

We tested the hypothesis that, after bed rest, maximal oxygen consumption (V˙O2max) decreases more upright than supine, because of adequate cardiovascular response supine, but not upright. On 9 subjects, we determined V˙O2max and maximal cardiac output (Q˙) upright and supine, before and after (reambulation day upright, the following day supine) 35-day bed rest, by classical steady state protocol. Oxygen consumption, heart rate (fH) and stroke volume (Qst) were measured by a metabolic cart, electrocardiography and Modelflow from pulse pressure profiles, respectively. We computed Q˙ as fH times Qst, and systemic oxygen flow (Q˙aO2) as Q. times arterial oxygen concentration, obtained after haemoglobin and arterial oxygen saturation measurements. Before bed rest, all parameters at maximal exercise were similar upright and supine. After bed rest, V˙O2max was lower (p < 0.05) than before, both upright (−38.6%) and supine (−17.0%), being 30.8% higher supine than upright. Maximal Qst decreased upright (−44.3%), but not supine (+3.7%), being 98.9% higher supine than upright. Maximal Q˙ decreased upright (−45.1%), but not supine (+9.0%), being higher supine than upright (+98.4%). Maximal Q˙aO2 decreased upright (−37.8%), but not supine (+14.8%), being higher (+74.8%) upright than supine. After bed rest, the cardiovascular response (i) did not affect V˙O2max supine, (ii) partially explained the V˙O2max decrease upright, and (iii) caused the V˙O2max differences between postures. We speculate that impaired peripheral oxygen transfer and/or utilisation may explain the V˙O2max decrease supine and the fraction of V˙O2max decrease upright unexplained by cardiovascular responses.