Effect of hypobaric hypoxic training on hypoxic ventilatory response in Thai military airborne compared with standard training

Abstract

Introduction: The objective of this study is to examine the effect of hypobaric hypoxic training on hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) and extending the duration of time of useful consciousness (TUC) in Thai military airborne compared with the standard training. Methods: Total 28 subjects of Royal Thai Air Force Special Operations Regiment were recruited and deivided into two groups as the trained and untrained group. There are 13 and 15 airborne troopers in the first and second groups, respectively. The baseline physical characteristics, HVR and TUC were collected for the pre-test in both groups. Only the trained group was trained in the hypobaric chamber of Insititute of Aviation Medicine for 14 training sessions with the intermittent hypobaric hypoxic training. The training duration was 1 hour per session per day. This intermittent training program was continued only on the official working day and paused on the weekend day. Results: The averaged value of HVR in the trained group showed the statistic significant differences (p<0.05) and higher than the untrained group. The duration of TUC could be extended in the trained group with the significant difference (p<0.05) after the 14 training sessions were completed. The trend of HVR declined gradually after 1 week of the training accomplishment in the trained group. Conclusion: The intermittent hypoxic hypobaric training could increase the hypoxic ventilatory response and extend the duration of TUC significantly. This training program supported the aviation safety and was proper for preparing the airborne troopers for the exclusive military airborne missions which the duration of the missions did not exceed than 1 week.