Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19
Abstract Mountaineers with a high ventilatory response to hypoxia experience greater cognitive impairment at high altitude, possibly because hyperventilation causes hypocapnia, cerebral vasoconstriction and ultimately cerebral ischaemia. We hypothesised that a high ventilatory response, and conseque...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13016-0 |
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| author | Nikolai Ravn Aarskog Hanna Othilie Lindvig Bjørsrud Aleksander Rygh Holten Leiv Otto Watne Bjørn Erik Neerland Morten Rostrup |
| author_facet | Nikolai Ravn Aarskog Hanna Othilie Lindvig Bjørsrud Aleksander Rygh Holten Leiv Otto Watne Bjørn Erik Neerland Morten Rostrup |
| author_sort | Nikolai Ravn Aarskog |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Mountaineers with a high ventilatory response to hypoxia experience greater cognitive impairment at high altitude, possibly because hyperventilation causes hypocapnia, cerebral vasoconstriction and ultimately cerebral ischaemia. We hypothesised that a high ventilatory response, and consequently a lower arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), could increase the risk of delirium in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a cohort study in which PaCO2 and arterial oxygen saturation were measured upon hospital admission in 126 patients with COVID-19. After adjusting for oxygen saturation, we found that a lower PaCO2 was associated with a higher risk of delirium during hospital admission (risk ratio 1.67 [95% confidence interval 1.09–2.54] per 1 kilopascal reduction, P = 0.017). The association remained statistically significant after adjusting for other well-established risk factors for delirium. This finding supports our hypothesis that a high hypoxic ventilatory response increases the risk of delirium in patients with acute hypoxia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-19f604ecae2b48869ae209605ce64716 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-19f604ecae2b48869ae209605ce647162025-08-20T03:05:29ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-13016-0Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19Nikolai Ravn Aarskog0Hanna Othilie Lindvig Bjørsrud1Aleksander Rygh Holten2Leiv Otto Watne3Bjørn Erik Neerland4Morten Rostrup5Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of OsloInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of OsloInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of OsloInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of OsloOslo Delirium Research Group, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Division of Medicine, Oslo University HospitalDepartment of Acute Medicine, Division of Medicine, Oslo University HospitalAbstract Mountaineers with a high ventilatory response to hypoxia experience greater cognitive impairment at high altitude, possibly because hyperventilation causes hypocapnia, cerebral vasoconstriction and ultimately cerebral ischaemia. We hypothesised that a high ventilatory response, and consequently a lower arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), could increase the risk of delirium in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a cohort study in which PaCO2 and arterial oxygen saturation were measured upon hospital admission in 126 patients with COVID-19. After adjusting for oxygen saturation, we found that a lower PaCO2 was associated with a higher risk of delirium during hospital admission (risk ratio 1.67 [95% confidence interval 1.09–2.54] per 1 kilopascal reduction, P = 0.017). The association remained statistically significant after adjusting for other well-established risk factors for delirium. This finding supports our hypothesis that a high hypoxic ventilatory response increases the risk of delirium in patients with acute hypoxia.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13016-0Cerebral vasoconstrictionCOVID-19DeliriumHypocapniaHypoxiaHypoxic ventilatory response |
| spellingShingle | Nikolai Ravn Aarskog Hanna Othilie Lindvig Bjørsrud Aleksander Rygh Holten Leiv Otto Watne Bjørn Erik Neerland Morten Rostrup Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19 Scientific Reports Cerebral vasoconstriction COVID-19 Delirium Hypocapnia Hypoxia Hypoxic ventilatory response |
| title | Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19 |
| title_full | Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19 |
| title_short | Ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to COVID-19 |
| title_sort | ventilatory response and delirium risk in hospitalised patients with acute hypoxia due to covid 19 |
| topic | Cerebral vasoconstriction COVID-19 Delirium Hypocapnia Hypoxia Hypoxic ventilatory response |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13016-0 |
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