The Effect of Surgical Mask Use on Respiratory Functions of Healthcare Professionals at Different Physical Activity Levels
Sertaç Yakal, Şensu Dinçer, Sergen Devran, Aysun Ertuna, Bülent Bayraktar
Department of Sports Medicine, İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Türkiye
Keywords: Oxygen saturation; physical activity; pulmonary function test; surgical mask.
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to show the effect of surgical mask use on pulmonary functions in healthy healthcare workers at different physical activity levels.
Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included healthy and active sports physicians and sports physiotherapists. Participants were subjected to respiratory function tests and arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) measurements at rest and after the non-inclined treadmill activities at constant speeds of 3 km/h and 6.5 km/h with a surgical mask.
Results: SpO2 measurements taken immediately after the participants’ physical activities at a speed of 6.5 km/h were significantly lower than the basal SpO2 measurements (p=0.045) as well as 1st second of forced expiration (FEV1 )/forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1 /FVC% in pulmonary function test measurements were significantly higher than baseline measurements (p=0.005; p=0.012, respectively). The flow velocity value in the last quarter of the forced expiration (FEF75) and its percentile were (FEF%75) found to be significantly higher than the measurements taken at rest after walking at 6.5 km/h (p=0.005 vs. p=0.004, respectively). The differences between the ERV values obtained after the participants’ physical activities at two speeds (3 km/h vs. 6.5 km/h) were significant (p=0.045).
Conclusion: Using surgical masks by health workers while performing their low-moderate occupational activities may cause changes in respiratory parameters due to the microenvironment formed in the mask and increased respiratory resistance.
Cite This Article: Yakal S, Dinçer Ş, Devran S, Ertuna A, Bayraktar B. The Effect of Surgical Mask Use on Respiratory Functions of Healthcare Professionals at Different Physical Activity Levels. Koşuyolu Heart J 2024;27(3):103–107
The study was approved by the İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee (no: E-29624016-050.99- 206319, date: 18/05/2021).
Externally peer-reviewed.
Concept – S.Y., Ş.D., B.B.; Design – A.E., S.D.; Supervision – S.Y., B.B.; Funding – B.B.; Materials – A.E., S.D.; Data collection and/or processing – S.Y., Ş.D., S.D.; Data analysis and/or interpretation – S.Y., S.D.; Literature search – A.E., Ş.D.; Writing – S.Y., A.E.; Critical review – Ş.D., B.B.
All authors declared no conflict of interest.
No AI technologies utilized.
The authors declared that this study received no financial support.