Citation

Main LC, Wolkow AP, Tait JL, Gatta PD, Raines J, Snow R, Aisbett B. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (Dr Main, Dr Wolkow, Dr Gatta, Dr Raines, Dr Snow, Dr Aisbett); School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood (Dr Tait); School of Psychological Sciences, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Clayton, VIC (Dr Wolkow), Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JOM.0000000000001775

PMID

31764604

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the inflammatory response to a 12-hour wildfire suppression shift, in firefighters attending the "Black Saturday" natural disaster.

METHODS: Thirty-eight male volunteer firefighters provided venous blood samples before and after a 12-hour firefighting shift. Pre- to post-shift changes in pro-inflammatory (Interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12P70, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor [GM-CSF], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], interferon-gamma [IFNγ]), and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-5, IL-7, IL-10, IL-13) cytokines were measured with paired sample t tests, or Wilcoxon t tests for non-parametric data.

RESULTS: Interleukin (IL)-6 (P = 0.003) and IL-8 (P = 0.017) were significantly increased following 12-hours of wildfire suppression. There was also a significant decrease in IL-10 (P = 0.021).

CONCLUSIONS: The observed acute inflammatory response may have resulted from multiple stressors including physical exertion, thermal strain, or smoke inhalation experienced during the shift, and may be a necessary response for the body to adapt to stressor exposure.

Language: en