Comprehensive assessment of physiological responses in women during the ESA dry immersion VIVALDI microgravity simulation.

Astronauts in microgravity experience multi-system deconditioning, impacting their inflight efficiency and inducing dysfunctions upon return to Earth gravity. To fill the sex gap of knowledge in the health impact of spaceflights, we simulate microgravity with a 5-day dry immersion in 18 healthy women (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05043974). Here we show that dry immersion rapidly induces a sedentarily-like metabolism shift mimicking the beginning of a metabolic syndrome with a drop in glucose tolerance, an increase in the atherogenic index of plasma, and an impaired lipid profile. Bone remodeling markers suggest a decreased bone formation coupled with an increased bone resorption. Fluid shifts and muscular unloading participate to a marked cardiovascular and sensorimotor deconditioning with decreased orthostatic tolerance, aerobic capacity, and postural balance. Collected datasets provide a comprehensive multi-systemic assessment of dry immersion effects in women and pave the way for future sex-based evaluations of countermeasures.

Assessment of concordance between diffusion of carbon monoxide through the lung using the 10 s breath-hold method, and the simultaneous NO/CO technique, in healthy participants.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited, large sample size, healthy control data comparing measurement of diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) via the 10 s single-breath carbon monoxide uptake method (DLCO10) and using a DLCO-DLNO double diffusion test performed with a 5 s time of apnoea (DLCO5). OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to compare DLCO5 and DLCO10 in healthy participants. The secondary objective was to evaluate the reproducibility of DLCO5. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included medical students at Caen University Hospital, from 2008 to 2011. We performed a standard single-breath carbon monoxide uptake and combined DLCO and DLNO measurement for each participant. The combined test was repeated one week later. RESULTS: Among the 153 study participants, there was no statistically significant difference between the mean values of DLCO10 (10.2 ±â€¯2.2 mmol.min-1 kPa-1) and DLCO5 (10.3 ±â€¯2.2 mmol.min-1 kPa-1; paired t-test p = 0.19). Corrected for the same FiO2, DLCO5 was calculated at 10.5 ±â€¯2.3 mmol.min-1 kPa-1 and was significantly different from DLCO10 (paired t-test p < 0.001). DLCO5 deviates from 1,6 mmol.min-1 kPa-1 (4,6 mL.min-1. mmHg-1) or 15 % of DLCO10 (17 % above and 13% below, for 95 % of the subjects). Forty-seven participants were included in the DLCO5 reproducibility test. The 2 test sessions were carried out at 6 ±â€¯2 day intervals. Reproducibilities for DLCO, DLNO, DmCO and Vc was respectively 1.2 (11 %), 6.8 (13%), 16.5 (32 %), 12.5 (17 %) mmol.min-1 kPa-1. CONCLUSION: In healthy participants, discrepancies between DLCO measured during the double diffusion and DLCO measured on an apnoea of 10 s are quite large. It may be an indication that the Roughton and Forster interpretation to describe this type of measurements is inadequate.