Blood gas levels, cardiovascular strain and cognitive performance during surgical mask and filtering face piece application

• Published in: Scientific reports 2022-06, Vol.12 (1), p.9708-9708, Article 9708
• Main Authors: Grimm, Katharina, Niederer, Daniel, Nienhaus, Albert, Groneberg, David A., Engeroff, Tobias
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/308/2779/109; 692/308/2779/777; Arousal; Blood Gas Analysis; Blood pressure; Carbon dioxide; Carbon Dioxide - metabolism; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Face; Female; Gas exchange; Heart Rate; Hemodynamics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Lactic acid; Male; Masks; Metabolism; multidisciplinary; Oxygen; pH effects; Physical training; Protective equipment; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13711-2

Mask induced airway resistance and carbon dioxide rebreathing is discussed to impact gas exchange and to induce discomfort and impairments in cognitive performance. N = 23 healthy humans (13 females, 10 males; 23.5 ± 2.1 years) participated in this randomized crossover trial (3 arms, 48-h washout periods). During interventions participants wore either a surgical face mask (SM), a filtering face piece (FFP2) or no mask (NM). Interventions included a 20-min siting period and 20 min steady state cycling on an ergometer at 77% of the maximal heart rate (HR). Hemodynamic data (HR, blood pressure), metabolic outcomes (pulse derived oxygen saturation, capillary carbon dioxide (pCO 2 ), and oxygen partial pressure (pO 2 ), lactate, pH, base excess), subjective response (ability to concentrate, arousal, perceived exertion) and cognitive performance (Stroop Test) were assessed. Compared to NM, both masks increased pCO 2 (NM 31.9 ± 3.3 mmHg, SM = 35.2 ± 4.0 mmHg, FFP2 = 34.5 ± 3.8 mmHg, F = 12.670, p