Assessment of Morphological, Biochemical and Rheological Blood Indicators in Men After a 24-Hour stay in a Thermo-Climatic Chamber at -50°C

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate morphological, biochemical and rheological blood indicators in men staying in a cryochamber at a temperature of -50°C for 24 hours. In 2018, a scientific-survival project- ‘Taming the Frost’ – was conducted at the Technoclimatic Research and Working Machines Laboratory of the Kraków University of Technology, under the scientific patronage of the Rector of the Kraków University of Technology, Prof. Jan Kazior, Ph.D., as well as the Rector of the University of Physical Education in Kraków, the late Prof. Aleksander Tyka, Ph.D., and the Vice-Rector of Science, Prof. Anna Marchewka, Ph.D. Material and methods: The blood for testing was collected by a qualified nurse from the annular vein in fasting participants, in the morning, before entering the cryochamber and after 24 hours, i.e. on leaving the cryochamber. Morphological, biochemical, and rheological blood indices were evaluated. The study group of the ‘Taming the Frost’ scientific-survival project involved men (n=6) who stayed in a cryochamber at a temperature of -50°C for 24 hours. For each participant, a 5-ml blood sample was placed in a tube (BD Vacutainer) with the EDTA K2 anticoagulant for blood morphology and blood rheology evaluations at the Blood Physiology Laboratory of the Central Research and Development Laboratory, University of Physical Education in Krakow. Another 5-ml blood sample was placed in a Vacuette tube with a clotting activator for the remaining biochemical analyses conducted at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology – Kraków branch. Results: After leaving the cryochamber with a temperature of –50°C, the participants presented statistically significant increases in monocyte count and high-densitylipoprotein, as well as creatine kinase values, along with decreases in IgA, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. In the assessment of blood rheology indices, statistically significant increases were noted for elongation index at the shear stress of 0.30, 0.58, 1.13, and 2.19 Pa, and, at the same time, decreases in elongation index at the shear stress of 31.03 and 60.3 Pa. For red cell aggregation indices, a statistically significant increase in total aggregation time was reported. The other indicators exhibited a significance level of p>0.05. Conclusions: Staying in a cryochamber at a temperature of -50°C for 24 hours did not exert negative impact on morphological, biochemical or rheological blood indices, which implies the subjects’ adaptation to the implemented conditions.

Keywords

• extreme cold -50°C
• blood morphology
• blood biochemical indices
• blood rheology