Absence of consequential changes in physiological, thermal and subjective responses from wearing a surgical mask

Details

• Personal Author:
  Benson SM ; Kim J-H ; Roberge RJ
• Description:
  Twenty subjects treadmill exercised at 5.6 km/h for 1 h with and without wearing a surgical mask while being monitored for heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, transcutaneous CO2, SpO2, core and skin temperatures, mask deadspace heat and relative humidity, and skin temperature under the mask. Rating scales were utilized for exertion and heat perceptions. Surgical mask use resulted in increases in heart rate (9.5 beats/min; p < 0.001), respiratory rate (1.6 breaths/min; p = 0.02), and transcutaneous carbon dioxide (2.17 mm Hg; p = 0.0006), and decreased temperature of uncovered facial skin (0.40 degrees C; p = 0.03). The 1.76 degrees C increase in temperature of the skin covered by the mask was associated with a mask deadspace apparent heat index of 52.9 degrees C. Perceptions of heat were neutral to slightly hot, and for exertion ranged from very, very light to fairly light. Surgical mask use for 1 h at a low-moderate work rate is not associated with clinically significant physiological impact or significant subjective perceptions of exertion or heat. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Body Temperature Cardiovascular System Environmental Monitoring Men Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory System Safety Women
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Surgical Mask Body-temperature Exposure-assessment Exposure-limits Heart-rate Humans Personal-protection Personal-protective-equipment Physical-exercise Physiological-effects Physiological-factors Physiological Impact Respiration Respiratory-rate Subjective Perceptions Thermal Burden

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• ISSN:
  1569-9048
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  29-35
• Volume:
  181
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20040375
• Citation:
  Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2012 Apr; 181(1):29-35
• Email:
  dtn0@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b3be0a94d4d98608a464c7d8742e26a82bb338fd740c64e313df31ebb1114f2ae021a7e715d814ff1e046e8aecb0ecc99c75cde689fa19306e5aafeedae8ce69
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193278/cdc_193278_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 264.70 KB ]