Is resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity related to peripheral or cerebrovascular haemodynamics at high altitude? A retrospective analysis

High-altitude hypoxia elicits several profound physiological responses, including substantial increases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA); however, the association of this heightened MSNA with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular haemodynamics remains unclear in lowlanders and indigenous highlander populations. We hypothesized that at high altitude resting MSNA would be associated with resting cardiovascular and cerebrovascular haemodynamics in lowlanders (n = 26), and Sherpa (n = 8) and Andean (n = 23) indigenous highlanders. Data were retrospectively analysed from two separate high-altitude expeditions to Nepal (2016; 5050 m) and Peru (2018; 4300 m). We assessed resting MSNA via radial or peroneal microneurography, and measured (Formula presented.), heart rate, mean arterial pressure, brachial artery blood flow and endothelial function, and internal carotid and vertebral artery diameter, velocity, and blood flow. Resting MSNA demonstrated limited, population-specific associations with vascular haemodynamics. Lowlanders showed the most consistent relationships, including positive associations between MSNA and heart rate, vertebral artery diameter and blood flow, and internal carotid artery velocity, while Sherpa and Andean highlanders showed few systemic or cerebrovascular associations with MSNA. No relationship was observed between MSNA and (Formula presented.), brachial artery blood flow or endothelial function across populations. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that most directional relationships were robust to the removal of influential participants, although some associations, including the negative relationship between MSNA and brachial artery blood flow in Sherpa, were attenuated. These data highlight that single time-point, resting MSNA may have limited predictive value for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular haemodynamics at high altitude within these specific populations; however, these data should be interpreted with caution, given the small cross-sectional sample sizes.