Roy Michael J, Kraus Patricia L, Cooper Jamie A, Cherstniakova Svetlana, Coll Regina, Seegers Cynthia A, Deuster Patricia A, Koslowe Patricia, Law Wendy A, Krantz David S, Cantilena Louis
Department of Medicine, Division of Military Internal Medicine, Room A3062, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
Mil Med. 2006 Feb;171(2):122-7. doi: 10.7205/milmed.171.2.122.
This was a pilot study to determine (1) whether it is feasible to effectively blind human subjects to the presence of the insect repellents N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) and permethrin; (2) whether DEET affects the absorption of permethrin; and (3) whether combat videotape viewing and mental arithmetic are stressful.
Ten volunteers were exposed to DEET, permethrin, and stress (1-hour combat videotape plus mental arithmetic) in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Outcome measurements included hemodynamics, plasma DEET and permethrin levels, and questionnaires to assess blinding.
Highly sensitive serologic assays readily detected DEET but not permethrin. Staff members and subjects were effectively blinded to both. The videotape-math combination was stressful by both self-report and hemodynamic measures.
It is possible to blind subjects with respect to DEET and permethrin. Permethrin on clothing does not enter the bloodstream at appreciable levels. Combat videotapes and mental arithmetic can be stressful.
