Citation

Farley RS, Ray PS, Moynihan GP. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 1998; 22(6): 431-437.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Traditionally, the mouthpiece, nose-clip, and headgear arrangement (MN) used in indirect calorimetry is uncomfortable for some subjects, interferes with communications, and often interrupts tests if the nose-clip is lost. Gas collection masks (MASK) offer the possibility of alleviating the problems of MN but leakage and increased air dead space have been problematic. The present study compares the use of MN with two MASK designs (with nose-dam which prevents nasal breathing (MASKnd), and without nose-dam (MASKwo), from light to peak work rates in 20 well-trained subjects (M=12, F=8). Ventilation rate (Ve), oxygen uptake (VO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and heart rate (HR) were measured and comfort was assessed with a questionnaire. At the highest work rate, subjects achieved higher (as determined by repeated measures ANOVA) Ve for MASKnd(114.0+/-27 L min-1) and MASKwo=(115.0+/-29 L min-1) than for MN (108+/-28 L min-1). Likewise, VO2 in both MASKnd (55.0+/-10 ml kg min-1) and MASKwo (56.2+/-11 ml kg min-1) were higher than in the MN (53.7+/-12 ml kg min-1)(p2 can be more often attained with a MASK than an MN, since Ve and VO2 were higher in MASK compared to that in MN.Relevance to industryThis study will provide an evaluation of gas masks as an alternative to the traditional but uncomfortable mouth-piece and nose-clip used in indirect calorimetry.