TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Influence of chronic heat acclimatization on occupational thermal strain in tropical field conditions
JO  - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
A1  - Brearley, Matt B.
A1  - Norton, Ian
A1  - Rush, Daryl
A1  - Hutton, Michael
A1  - Smith, Steve
A1  - Ward, Linda
A1  - Fuentes, Hector
SP  - 1250
EP  - 1256
VL  - 58
IS  - 12
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To examine whether non-heat acclimatized (NHA) emergency responders endure greater physiological and perceptual strain than heat acclimatized (HA) counterparts in tropical field settings. <br><br>METHODS: Eight HA and eight NHA men urban search and rescue personnel had physiological and perceptual responses compared during the initial 4 hours shift of a simulated disaster in tropical conditions (ambient temperature 34.0 °C, 48% relative humidity, wet bulb globe temperature [WBGT] 31.4 °C). <br><br>RESULTS: From the 90th minute through to end of shift, HA (38.5 °C) sustained a significantly higher gastrointestinal temperature than NHA (38.1 °C) (mean difference 0.4 ± 0.2 °C, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.2 to 0.7 °C, P = 0.005) despite comparable heart rate (P = 0.30), respiratory rate (P = 0.88), and axilla skin temperature (P = 0.47). Overall, perception of body temperature was similar between cohorts (P = 0.87). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The apparent tolerance of greater physiological strain by HA responders occurred in the absence of perceptual differences.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1076-2752
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000000902
ID  - ref1
ER  -