Autonomic Nervous System Response to Far-Infrared Sauna Exposure in Firefighters
Marciniak RA, Wahl CA, Ebersole KT
Annals of work exposures and health · 4 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Controlled clinical trial (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2022-03-15 · Ann Work Expo Health · vol. 66 · issue 3 · pp. 356–367
- Publisher
- National Institutes of Health
- Cited
- 3 citations · more than 78% of similar papers · 1.4× the field average
- References
- 0 works
- Access
- Paywalled
- Research areas
- Occupational Health and Performance · Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Keywords
- Autonomic nervous system, Sympathetic nervous system, Parasympathetic nervous system, Nervous system, Baroreflex, Central nervous system
- MeSH
- autonomic nervous system, humans, steam bath, occupational exposure, heart rate, firefighters
3 authors
From US
- Rudi A MarciniakUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
- Carly A WahlUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
- Kyle T EbersoleUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Abstract
Objectives
Fire departments have employed far-infrared sauna (FIRS) use as part of post-fire call protocols to address concerns related to carcinogens. The inability of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to fully recover following an emergency call, as demonstrated by heightened sympathetic nervous system activity and delayed parasympathetic nervous system reactivation, has been implicated as a potential factor related to sudden cardiac death. The use of a sauna post-fire call, which has been demonstrated to elevate body temperature, may interfere with the ability of the ANS to fully recover. The purpose of this study was to examine ANS responses to FIRS exposure in firefighters (FFs) with (EX) and without (NONEX) prior maximal exercise.
Methods
Sixteen career FFs participated in this study. Body temperature (TEMP), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), and blood lactate (La─) were measured at the start of each testing session, following a maximal exercise test (EX only), and immediately after a 15-min FIRS exposure for NONEX and EX.
Results
In NONEX, TEMP increased (P < 0.001); however, there was no change in HR, HRV, BP, or La─. In EX, BP remained unchanged while TEMP, HR, and La─ were significantly (P < 0.001) greater than baseline following FIRS exposure and HRV was significantly (P = 0.018) lower than baseline.
Conclusions
These findings indicate that FIRS following maximal exercise did support some ANS recovery, but may interfere with restoration of body temperature and parasympathetic nervous system reactivation, potentially influencing post-call cardiovascular risk in FFs.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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