269854 Assessments of Cardiovascular Functions in Firefighters on A Very Long (72-hour) Shift: A Field Feasibility Study

Monday, October 29, 2012

BongKyoo Choi, ScD MPH , Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
Javier Garcia-Rivas, MS , Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
Peter Schnall, MD, MPH , Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California Irvine, Marina Del Rey, CA
Marnie Dobson, PhD , Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
Hyoung Ryoul Kim, MD PhD , Catholic Industrial Medical Center, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, The Catholic University of Korea, University of California, Irvine, Irvien, CA
Frank Zaldivar, PhD , Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
Leslie Israel, DO MPH , Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
Dean Baker, MD MPH , Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
  
Many firefighters do additional shifts of overtime beyond their standard 24-hr shifts, which can result in consecutive 24-hr shifts. Little is known about the impact of consecutive 24-hr shifts on the cardiovascular function of firefighters. Also, there are no standard field methods for assessing the cardiovascular changes that might result from consecutive 24-hr shifts. Our study aims to evaluate the feasibility of assessing ambulatory parameters of cardiovascular functions in firefighters on a very long shift (72 hours). Six firefighters in a Southern California county participated in this study. A total of five direct and indirect cardiovascular parameters (heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure (bp), saliva cortisol, and saliva C-reactive protein (CRP)) were measured by using non-invasive instruments (a Polar S810 heart rate monitor, an Omron HEM-670 wrist bp monitor, and Salimetric salivary cortisol and CRP test kits) on the 1st and 3rd 24-hr period of a 72 hours work-shift. Self-reported data on subjective ratings of fatigue and distress were also collected using a diary. The cardiovascular parameters were collected with only minor errors. We observed that self-rated stress and mental fatigue, heart rate, systolic and diastolic bp increased, while heart rate variability decreased from the 1st to the 3rd 24-hr shift. Salivary CRP decreased, but its diurnal pattern became flatter from the 1st to the 3rd 24-hr shift. We conclude that these five ambulatory parameters have great potential for further use as markers of cardiovascular function in firefighters undergoing multiple consecutive 24-hr shifts.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health biology
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
To discuss the feasibility of 5 ambulatory parameters (heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, saliva cortisol, and saliva C-reactive protein) of cardiovascular functions in firefighters on a very long (72-hr) shift.

Keywords: Obesity, Occupational Health Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of this study that test the feasibility of 5 ambulatory parameters of cardiovascular functions in firefighters on a very long (72-hr) shift.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3057.0: Shift Work, Psychosocial Stressors, and Work Organization