Runde Daniel P, Harland Karisa K, Van Heukelom Paul, Faine Brett, O'Shaughnessy Patrick, Mohr Nicholas M
Department of Emergency Medicine University of Iowa College of Medicine Iowa City Iowa USA.
Department of Epidemiology University of Iowa College of Public Health Iowa City Iowa USA.
J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2020 Dec 26;2(1):e12335. doi: 10.1002/emp2.12335. eCollection 2021 Feb.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in widespread shortages of personal protective equipment, including N95 respirators. Although basic surgical facemasks are more commonly available, their efficacy is limited due primarily to their poor face seal. This pilot study examined the impact of a rubber band mask brace on a basic surgical mask, as determined by quantitative fit testing.
Subjects wearing a basic surgical facemask and the rubber band mask brace underwent quantitative fit testing using machinery designed to certify N95 mask fit. Subjects were tested with the brace anchored behind their ears, with a paperclip behind the head, and on the side knobs of their face shields. The primary outcome measure was whether the subject passed the quantitative fit test at or above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-verified standard for N95 masks.
Subjects (n = 11) were 54.5% female, with a median height of 70 inches (interquartile range [IQR] = 68-74), weight of 170 pounds (IQR = 145-215), and body mass index (BMI) of 24.6 (IQR = 22.2-27.2), and encompassing 5 distinct N95 mask fit types. We found that 45%, 100%, and 100% of subjects passed the quantitative fit test when the brace was anchored behind the ears, with a paperclip and on a face shield, respectively.
Of the 11 subjects included in the analysis, across a range of body habitus and N95 mask fit types, all passed the quantitative fit test when the mask brace was anchored on either face shield or with a paperclip. This data suggests that although the brace does not create an N95 equivalent in terms of filtration, it would offer improved protection from airborne viruses when worn with a basic surgical mask.
2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行导致包括N95口罩在内的个人防护装备广泛短缺。虽然基本的外科口罩更常见，但由于其面部密封效果差，其防护效果有限。本试点研究通过定量贴合测试，检验了橡皮筋口罩固定装置对基本外科口罩的影响。
佩戴基本外科口罩和橡皮筋口罩固定装置的受试者，使用旨在认证N95口罩贴合度的机器进行定量贴合测试。受试者分别在固定装置固定于耳后、头后使用回形针以及面罩侧面旋钮的情况下接受测试。主要结局指标是受试者是否在职业安全与健康管理局（OSHA）验证的N95口罩标准或以上水平通过定量贴合测试。
受试者（n = 11）中54.5%为女性，中位身高70英寸（四分位间距[IQR]=68 - 74），体重170磅（IQR = 145 - 215），体重指数（BMI）为24.6（IQR = 22.2 - 27.2），涵盖5种不同的N95口罩贴合类型。我们发现，当固定装置固定于耳后、使用回形针以及固定在面罩上时，分别有45%、100%和100%的受试者通过了定量贴合测试。
在纳入分析的11名受试者中，无论身体体型和N95口罩贴合类型如何，当口罩固定装置固定在面罩上或使用回形针时，所有受试者均通过了定量贴合测试。该数据表明，虽然该固定装置在过滤方面无法达到N95口罩的等效水平，但与基本外科口罩一起佩戴时，能提供更好的防护，抵御空气传播的病毒。
