RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Acute cypobarih hypoxia is generally recognized to be the most serious single physiological hazard during flight at altitude. Simulation of acute hypoxia in an altitude chamber is used for the training of military aircrew. Acute hypobaric hypoxia affects critical organ systems in different manners. The purpose of this study was to investigate stimulated saliva glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) alteration after the hypobaric hypoxia process. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in 44 normal healthy military aircrew conducted at the hypobaric chamber of physiology at the University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The GPT and GOT activities were assayed in stimulated whole saliva before and after the experience of hypobaric hypoxia by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry method. Statistical analysis of the Student t-test was performed. RESULTS: The mean stimulated saliva GPT activity was significantly higher after the experience of the hypobaric hypoxia process (2.83 ± 0.34 vs. 0.42 ± 0.029 U/L, respectively; P = .001). Saliva GOT activity was also increased after this process (3.32 ± 0.43 vs. 1.22 ± 0.18 U/L, respectively; P = .001). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that subsequent to the experience of the hypobaric hypoxia process, there is a rise in the salivary activities of aminotransferases.
