Physiological responses to wearing N95 face mask against dust: HRV study with local youngster males in Aral Sea region

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the heart rate variability (HRV) parameters after long-term wearing of N95 respirators in subjects living at various distances from the epicentre of the Aral Sea environmental disaster. The study included 1100 male volunteers, which were divided into «North» group (unfavourable environment) and «South» group (favorable environment). The 5-minute HRV recordings were made using «BioMouse Complex» without a mask (State 1) and after wearing a N95 respirator and performed the necessary work for 30-40 minutes (State 2). SDNN, pNN50, HF, LF/HF and Baevsky’s Stress Index (SI) was statistically compared in State 1 and State 2. A significant increase was found in RMSSD, SDNN, pNN50%, HF in State 2 in subjects from the «North» and «South» groups. SI and LF/HF ratio increased after N95 wearing in youth from the and «North» group and decreased in volunteers from the «South» group. The prevalence of distribution of subjects having SI more 150 conv. units in State 2 in the «North» group was higher than in the «South» group. Vegetative tone reactivity to wearing N95 respirators was observed in residents from «North» group in the form of increase in sympathetic activity.