Mersin City Training and Research Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Mersin, Turkiye.
J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Apr;74(4):652-655. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.9243.
To investigate the effect of lengthy mask use on blood gas values and cognitive functions.
The cross-sectional study was conducted in February and March 2022 at Mersin City Training and Research Hospital, Mersin, Turkey, and comprised healthcare professionals of either gender aged 20-60 years working in the 3rd level intensive care unit. Each volunteer was subjected to venous blood gas analysis at the beginning and end of the 8-hour morning shift. Coronavirus disease-2019 status was noted, and further data related to cognitive functions was collected using a 7-item questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.
Of the 63 subjects, 43(68.3%) were women and 20(31.7%) were men. The overall mean age was 33.53±6.76 years. There were 42(66.7%) subjects using N95 mask; 27(64.3%) women and 15(35.7%) men with mean age 32.38±6.54 years. There were 21(33.3%) subjects wearing surgical masks; 16(76.2%) women and 5(23.8%) men with mean age 35.95±0.76 years. Intergroup comparisons were non-significant for all the markers (p>0.05). Within the N95 mask group, potential of hydrogen and lactate values were significantly different (p<0.05), while in the surgical mask group, potential of hydrogen and partial pressure of oxygen were significantly different (p<0.05). There were 28(66.7%) subjects in the N95 group who had been affected by coronavirus disease-2019 compared to 16(76.2%) in the surgical mask group (p>0.05). Subjects in the N95 mask group had significant impaired cognitive functions compared to the surgical mask group (p<0.05).
Impairment in cognitive functions in intensive care unit workers using masks could be explained by the development of intermittent long-term moderate hypoxia.
研究长时间佩戴口罩对血气值和认知功能的影响。
本横断面研究于 2022 年 2 月至 3 月在土耳其梅尔辛市培训与研究医院进行，纳入年龄在 20-60 岁之间、在三级重症监护病房工作的、无论性别为医护人员。每位志愿者在上午 8 小时轮班的开始和结束时都要进行静脉血气分析。记录新型冠状病毒疾病-2019 状态，并使用 7 项问卷收集与认知功能相关的进一步数据。使用 SPSS 20 进行数据分析。
在 63 名受试者中，43 名（68.3%）为女性，20 名（31.7%）为男性。总体平均年龄为 33.53±6.76 岁。有 42 名（66.7%）受试者使用 N95 口罩；27 名（64.3%）女性和 15 名（35.7%）男性，平均年龄 32.38±6.54 岁。有 21 名（33.3%）受试者佩戴外科口罩；16 名（76.2%）女性和 5 名（23.8%）男性，平均年龄 35.95±0.76 岁。所有标志物的组间比较均无统计学意义（p>0.05）。在 N95 口罩组中，氢离子和乳酸值有显著差异（p<0.05），而在外科口罩组中，氢离子和氧分压有显著差异（p<0.05）。在 N95 组中，有 28 名（66.7%）受试者受到新型冠状病毒疾病-2019 的影响，而在外科口罩组中，有 16 名（76.2%）受试者受到影响（p>0.05）。与外科口罩组相比，N95 口罩组的认知功能显著受损（p<0.05）。
使用口罩的重症监护病房工作人员认知功能受损可能是间歇性长期中度缺氧引起的。
