Steinhilber Benjamin, Seibt Robert, Gabriel Julia, Bär Mona, Dilek Ümütyaz, Brandt Adrian, Martus Peter, Rieger Monika A
Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany.
Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Applied Biometry, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
Healthcare (Basel). 2023 May 3;11(9):1308. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11091308.
Undesirable side effects from wearing face masks during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continue to be discussed and pose a challenge to occupational health and safety when recommending safe application. Only few studies examined the effects of continuously wearing a face mask for more than one hour. Therefore, the influence of wearing a medical mask (MedMask) and a filtering facepiece class II respirator (FFP2) on the physiological and subjective outcomes in the course of 130 min of manual work was exploratively investigated. Physical work load and cardiorespiratory fitness levels were additionally considered as moderating factors.
Twenty-four healthy subjects (12 females) from three different cardiorespiratory fitness levels each performed 130 min of simulated manual work with light and medium physical workload using either no mask, a MedMask or FFP2. Heart rate, transcutaneous oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressure (PO, PCO) as well as perceived physical exertion and respiratory effort were assessed continuously at discrete time intervals. Wearing comfort of the masks were additionally rated after the working period.
There was no difference in time-dependent changes of physiological outcomes when using either a MedMask or a FFP2 compared to not wearing a mask. A stronger increase over time in perceived respiratory effort occurred when the face masks were worn, being more prominent for FFP2. Physical workload level and cardiorespiratory fitness level were no moderating factors and higher wearing comfort was rated for the MedMask.
Our results suggest that using face masks during light and medium physical manual work does not induce detrimental side effects. Prolonged wearing episodes appeared to increase respiratory effort, but without affecting human physiology in a clinically relevant way.
在当前新冠疫情期间，佩戴口罩产生的不良副作用仍在持续讨论中，并且在推荐安全使用方法时对职业健康与安全构成了挑战。仅有少数研究考察了连续佩戴口罩超过一小时的影响。因此，本研究探索性地调查了在130分钟的体力劳动过程中，佩戴医用口罩（MedMask）和II类过滤式面罩呼吸器（FFP2）对生理和主观结果的影响。此外，还将体力工作负荷和心肺适能水平作为调节因素进行了考量。
24名来自三种不同心肺适能水平的健康受试者（12名女性），分别在不戴口罩、佩戴MedMask或FFP2的情况下，进行了130分钟模拟的轻度和中度体力劳动。在离散的时间间隔内持续评估心率、经皮氧分压和二氧化碳分压（PO₂、PCO₂）以及主观的体力消耗和呼吸努力程度。工作结束后，还对面罩的佩戴舒适度进行了评分。
与不戴口罩相比，使用MedMask或FFP2时生理结果的时间依赖性变化没有差异。佩戴口罩时，主观呼吸努力程度随时间的增加更为明显，FFP2更为突出。体力工作负荷水平和心肺适能水平不是调节因素，MedMask的佩戴舒适度评分更高。
我们的结果表明，在轻度和中度体力劳动期间使用口罩不会产生有害的副作用。长时间佩戴似乎会增加呼吸努力程度，但不会以临床相关的方式影响人体生理。
