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Effect of wearing an N95 filtering facepiece respirator on superomedial orbital infrared indirect brain temperature measurements

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Abstract

To determine any effect of wearing a filtering facepiece respirator on brain temperature. Subjects (n = 18) wore a filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) for 1 h at rest while undergoing infrared thermography measurements of the superomedial periobital region of the eye, a non-invasive indirect method of brain temperature measurements we termed the superomedial orbital infrared indirect brain temperature (SOIIBT) measurement. Temperature of the facial skin covered by the FFR, infrared temperature measurements of the tympanic membrane and superficial temporal artery region were concurrently measured, and subjective impressions of thermal comfort obtained simultaneously. The temperature of the skin under the FFR and subjective impressions of thermal discomfort both increased significantly. The mean tympanic membrane temperature did not increase, and the superficial temporal artery region temperature decreased significantly. The SOIIBT values did not change significantly, but subjects who switched from nasal to oronasal breathing during the study (n = 5) experienced a slight increase in the SOIIBT measurements. Wearing a FFR for 1 h at rest does not have a significant effect on brain temperatures, as evaluated by the SOIIBT measurements, but a change in the route of breathing may impact these measurements. These findings suggest that subjective impressions of thermal discomfort from wearing a FFR under the study conditions are more likely the result of local dermal sensations rather than brain warming.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Andrew Palmiero, MS, for his IRT technical advice, and Yongsuk Seo, PhD, Aitor Coca, PhD, and William Monaghan, MSE, for their manuscript reviews and helpful suggestions. National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory internal operating funds were used for the study.

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Correspondence to Raymond J. Roberge.

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The study was approved by the NIOSH Institutional Review Board and all subjects provided written and -verbal consent.

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The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Mention of product names does not imply endorsement either by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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DiLeo, T., Roberge, R.J. & Kim, JH. Effect of wearing an N95 filtering facepiece respirator on superomedial orbital infrared indirect brain temperature measurements. J Clin Monit Comput 31, 67–73 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10877-016-9828-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10877-016-9828-6

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