Maturational differences in step vs. ramp hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory responses

The influence of the speed of stimulus presentation on hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory responses (step vs. ramp) is not known. Furthermore, it is unclear whether children and adults respond similarly. We tested ramp ventilatory responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia with use of rebreathing in 8 prepubertal children and 11 adults. We tested step ventilatory responses to hypercapnia with single vital capacity breaths of 15% CO₂ in O₂ and to hypoxia with five tidal breaths of 100% N₂. For children, slopes of step hypercapnic ventilatory responses were always greater than those of ramp responses (0.85 ± 0.07 vs. 0.71 ± 0.07 l · min^-1 · Torr end-tidal PCO₂^-1; P < 0.0005). Conversely, for adults, step responses were always less than ramp responses (0.88 ± 0.19 vs. 2.10 ± 0.29 l · min^-1 · Torr end-tidal PCO₂^-1; P < 0.0007). Similarly, for children, the slopes of step hypoxic ventilatory responses were always greater than those of ramp responses (-0.71 ± 0.09, vs. -0.45 ± 0.04 l · min^-1 · Torr O₂ saturation^-1; P < 0.02), and for adults, step responses were always less than ramp responses (-0.68 ± 0.14 vs. -1.85 ± 0.46 l · min^-1 · Torr O₂ saturation^-1; P < 0.04). We conclude that ventilatory responses vary depending on step vs. ramp presentation of hypercapnia or hypoxia and that the ratio of these responses is reversed in children compared with adults. We speculate that the responsiveness of peripheral chemoreceptors is increased in children compared with adults and that it may play a role in the mechanisms leading to increased ventilatory responses observed during childhood.