Oxygen Toxicity: Mechanisms in Humans

Description

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the mechanisms of oxygen toxicity in scuba divers. The main questions it aims to answer are: * How does the training of respiratory muscles affect oxygen toxicity? * How do environmental factors, such as sleep deprivation, the ingestion of commonly utilized medications, and chronic exposure to carbon dioxide, impact the risk of oxygen toxicity? * How does immersion in water affect the development of oxygen toxicity? Participants will be asked to do the following: * Undergo a basic screening exam composed of health history, vital signs, and some respiratory function tests * Train their respiratory muscles at regular intervals * Exercise on a cycle ergometer both in dry conditions and underwater/under pressure in the context of medication, sleep deprivation, or carbon dioxide exposure Researchers will compare the performance of each subject before and after the possible interventions described above to see if there are changes in exercise performance, respiratory function, cerebral blood flow, and levels of gene expression.

Conditions

Oxygen Toxicity, Hypercapnia, Seizures

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the mechanisms of oxygen toxicity in scuba divers. The main questions it aims to answer are: * How does the training of respiratory muscles affect oxygen toxicity? * How do environmental factors, such as sleep deprivation, the ingestion of commonly utilized medications, and chronic exposure to carbon dioxide, impact the risk of oxygen toxicity? * How does immersion in water affect the development of oxygen toxicity? Participants will be asked to do the following: * Undergo a basic screening exam composed of health history, vital signs, and some respiratory function tests * Train their respiratory muscles at regular intervals * Exercise on a cycle ergometer both in dry conditions and underwater/under pressure in the context of medication, sleep deprivation, or carbon dioxide exposure Researchers will compare the performance of each subject before and after the possible interventions described above to see if there are changes in exercise performance, respiratory function, cerebral blood flow, and levels of gene expression.

Applied Physiology of Oxygen Toxicity: Mechanisms in Humans

Oxygen Toxicity: Mechanisms in Humans

Condition
Oxygen Toxicity
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Durham

Duke University Health Sustem, Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27705

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Equal numbers of male and female
  • * Non-smokers
  • * Aged 18-45 years
  • * Males will be required to have VO2 peak \> or equal to mL/kg min
  • * and females \> or equal to 30 mL/kg min
  • * Pregnancy
  • * Cardiorespiratory disease, including hypertension
  • * Neuromuscular disease
  • * Anemia
  • * History of hemoglobinopathy, including sick cell disease and trait

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 45 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

Duke University,

Derek B Covington, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Duke University

Study Record Dates

2026-03