engleski

Biomarkers of mild hyperthermia related to flashover training in fire fighters

Flashover phenomenon occurs when surfaces exposed to thermal radiation reach ignition temperature, and the fire rapidly spreads in enclosed area. Flashover training (FOT) performed by fire fighters is a simulation of flashover phenomenon under controlled conditions. The study aimed to test the thermal and physical strain level in male fire fighters and instructors attending FOT and its influence on the DNA damage level, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). DNA damage markers were analyzed in 51 attendees and 7 instructors, and EBC pH and FeNO in 40 respiratory healthy non-smoking subjects (34 attendees and 6 instructors).The average body temperature and pulse increase was 1.1 °C and 30 beats per minute, respectively. Prominent increase in the alkali-labile sites’ level has been observed in instructors’ peripheral lymphocytes compared to first-time attendees (tail length p=0.050, % of DNA in tail p=0.005). FOT was related only to physiological FVC and FEV1 (for 4% and 2.7% on average) increase, and FeNO dropped after the exercise for 2 ppb in comparison with basal values (P=0.034). EBC pH didn’t change during FOT, but FeNO was inversely correlated to EBC pH after the exercise (Spearman's rho= -0.66, P=0.013). With respect to the thermal and physical strain, this FOT is considered a safe training procedure for healthy fire fighters. The increase rate in primary DNA damage found in the instructors' peripheral lymphocytes requires further examination in a larger sample size.

EBC acidity; FeNO; comet test; hOGG1-sensitive sites; DNA damage; thermal strain; physical strain

nije evidentirano