TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Gait instability and estimated core temperature predict exertional heat stroke
JO  - British journal of sports medicine
A1  - Buller, Mark
A1  - Fellin, Rebecca
A1  - Bursey, Max
A1  - Galer, Meghan
A1  - Atkinson, Emma
A1  - Beidleman, Beth A.
A1  - Marcello, Michael J.
A1  - Driver, Kyla
A1  - Mesite, Timothy
A1  - Seay, Joseph
A1  - Weed, Lara
A1  - Telfer, Brian
A1  - King, Christopher
A1  - Frazee, Royce
A1  - Moore, Charles
A1  - Williamson, James R.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Exertional heat stroke (EHS), characterised by a high core body temperature (Tcr) and central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction, is a concern for athletes, workers and military personnel who must train and perform in hot environments. The objective of this study was to determine whether algorithms that estimate Tcr from heart rate and gait instability from a trunk-worn sensor system can forward predict EHS onset. <br><br>METHODS: Heart rate and three-axis accelerometry data were collected from chest-worn sensors from 1806 US military personnel participating in timed 4/5-mile runs, and loaded marches of 7 and 12 miles; in total, 3422 high EHS-risk training datasets were available for analysis. Six soldiers were diagnosed with heat stroke and all had rectal temperatures of >41°C when first measured and were exhibiting CNS dysfunction. Estimated core temperature (ECTemp) was computed from sequential measures of heart rate. Gait instability was computed from three-axis accelerometry using features of pattern dispersion and autocorrelation. <br><br>RESULTS: The six soldiers who experienced heat stroke were among the hottest compared with the other soldiers in the respective training events with ECTemps ranging from 39.2°C to 40.8°C. Combining ECTemp and gait instability measures successfully identified all six EHS casualties at least 3.5 min in advance of collapse while falsely identifying 6.1% (209 total false positives) examples where exertional heat illness symptoms were neither observed nor reported. No false-negative cases were noted. <br><br>CONCLUSION: The combination of two algorithms that estimate Tcr and ataxic gate appears promising for real-time alerting of impending EHS.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0306-3674
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-104081
ID  - ref1
ER  -