RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND PULMONARY-FUNCTION AMONG RESIDENTS OF AN ANTARCTIC BASE

The aim was to study pulmonary function and physical capacity and thei r relation to respiratory symptoms among military personnel before and after one year of permanence in an Antarctic bass. In 21 men aged 38 +/- 5.5 years, enquiries about smoking habits and respiratory symptoms , spirometry, bronchial provocation test and measures of aerobic capac ity and peak expiratory flow were performed. After 75 days of permanen ce in the base, there was a significant increase in weight, exertional dysnea appeared in 8 subjects and there was an 8.4% decrease in aerob ic capacity. The bronchial provocation test was positive outdoors in 7 of the 21 staff members; when performed indoors, no subject had a pos itive test and in Santiago only one subject had a positive test (Chi s q p < 0. 025). After 7.5 and 11 months of permanence, forced vital cap acity decreased in 13% and no diurnal differences of peak expiratory f low were observed. In conclusion, the permanence in Antarctica may sli ghtly affect the respiratory system with the appearance of exertional dysnea and outdoor airway hyper reactivity in some residents.