Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States.
Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 20;12:1444411. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1444411. eCollection 2024.
Exposure to harmful aerosols is of increasing public health concern due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and wildland fires. These events have prompted risk reduction behaviors, notably the use of disposable respiratory protection. This project investigated whether craniofacial morphology impacts the efficiency of disposable masks (N95, KN95, surgical masks, KF94) most often worn by the public to protect against toxic and infectious aerosols. This project was registered with ClinicaltTrials.gov (NCT05388201; registration May 18, 2022).
One-hundred participants (50 men, 50 women) visited the Environmental Protection Agency's Human Studies Facility in Chapel Hill, NC between 2022-2023. Craniometrics and 3D scans were used to separate participants into four clusters. Boosting and elastic net regression yielded five measurements (bizygomatic breadth, nose length, bizygomatic nasal arc, neck circumference, ear breadth) that were the best predictors of filtration efficiency based on overall model fit. Fitted filtration efficiency was quantified for each mask at baseline and when tightened using an ear-loop clip.
The mean unmodified mask performance ranged from 55.3% (15.7%) in the large KF94 to 69.5% (12.3%) in the KN95. Modified performance ranged from 66.3% (9.4%) in the surgical to 80.7% (12.0%) in the KN95. Clusters with larger face width and neck circumference had higher unmodified mask efficiency. Larger nose gap area and nose length decreased modified mask performance.
We identify face width, nose size, nose shape, neck circumference, and ear breadth as specific features that modulate disposable mask fit in both unmodified and modified conditions. This information can optimize guidance on respiratory protection afforded by disposable ear-loop masks.
由于 SARS-CoV-2 大流行和野火，接触有害气溶胶对公众健康的关注日益增加。这些事件促使人们采取了降低风险的行为，特别是使用一次性呼吸防护设备。本项目研究了颅面形态是否会影响公众最常佩戴的一次性口罩（N95、KN95、医用外科口罩、KF94）的效率，以防止有毒和传染性气溶胶。本项目已在 ClinicalTrials.gov 注册（NCT05388201；注册日期为 2022 年 5 月 18 日）。
2022 年至 2023 年间，100 名参与者（50 名男性，50 名女性）访问了北卡罗来纳州教堂山的环境保护局人体研究设施。颅面测量和 3D 扫描将参与者分为四个聚类。通过提升和弹性网络回归，得出了五个最佳预测过滤效率的测量值（面宽、鼻长、面宽鼻弧、颈围、耳宽），基于整体模型拟合。在未调整的情况下，为每个口罩测量了过滤效率，并使用耳带夹收紧口罩后再次测量。
未调整的口罩性能平均值从大尺寸 KF94 的 55.3%（15.7%）到 KN95 的 69.5%（12.3%）。调整后的口罩性能平均值从医用外科口罩的 66.3%（9.4%）到 KN95 的 80.7%（12.0%）。面宽和颈围较大的聚类具有较高的未调整口罩效率。较大的鼻间隙面积和鼻长降低了调整后的口罩性能。
我们发现，面部宽度、鼻子大小、鼻子形状、颈围和耳宽是调节一次性耳带口罩在未调整和调整条件下贴合度的特定特征。这些信息可以优化对一次性耳带口罩提供的呼吸保护的指导。
