Cardiovascular health effects following exposure of human volunteers during fire extinction exercises

Environmental Health

Research

Peter Bøgh Pedersen¹  Eva-Carina Nørskov¹  Niels Ebbehøj²  Julie Elbæk Pedersen²  Peter Møller³  Steffen Loft³  Maria Helena Guerra Andersen⁴  Ismo Kalevi Koponen⁵  Per Axel Clausen⁵  Anne Thoustrup Saber⁵  Ulla Vogel⁶  Åse Marie Hansen⁷  Anne Helene Garde⁷ 

[1] Danish Technological Institute, Teknologiparken, Kongsvang Allé 29, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark;Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, DK-2400, Copenhagen, NV, Denmark;Department of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, DK-1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark;Department of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, DK-1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark;The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkalle 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark;The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkalle 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark;The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkalle 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark;Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark;The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkalle 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark;Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, DK-1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark;

关键词: Cardiovascular disease;    Firefighter;    Ultrafine particles;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12940-017-0303-8

 received in 2017-03-29, accepted in 2017-08-25,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundFirefighters have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and of sudden death from coronary heart disease on duty while suppressing fires. This study investigated the effect of firefighting activities, using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), on biomarkers of cardiovascular effects in young conscripts training to become firefighters.MethodsHealthy conscripts (n = 43) who participated in a rescue educational course for firefighting were enrolled in the study. The exposure period consisted of a three-day training course where the conscripts participated in various firefighting exercises in a constructed firehouse and flashover container. The subjects were instructed to extinguish fires of either wood or wood with electrical cords and mattresses. The exposure to particulate matter (PM) was assessed at various locations and personal exposure was assessed by portable PM samplers and urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene. Cardiovascular measurements included microvascular function and heart rate variability (HRV).ResultsThe subjects were primarily exposed to PM in bystander positions, whereas self-contained breathing apparatus effectively abolished pulmonary exposure. Firefighting training was associated with elevated urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene (105%, 95% CI: 52; 157%), increased body temperature, decreased microvascular function (−18%, 95% CI: -26; −9%) and altered HRV. There was no difference in cardiovascular measurements for the two types of fires.ConclusionObservations from this fire extinction training show that PM exposure mainly occurs in situations where firefighters removed the self-contained breathing apparatus. Altered cardiovascular disease endpoints after the firefighting exercise period were most likely due to complex effects from PM exposure, physical exhaustion and increased core body temperature.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017