Effect of Fire Suppression and Emergency Duties on Vascular Function

University of Edinburgh

Status: Completed

Conditions: Atherothrombosis; Vascular Function

Treatments: Procedure: Forearm Vascular Study; Procedure: Badimon Chamber

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01805063

11-SS-0049

PG/11/27/28842 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Firefighters are at increased risk of death from heart attacks when compared to other emergencyy service professionals whose jobs involve similar components such as emergency call-outs and shift work. In the largest analysis of cause of death amongst on-duty firefighters, firefighter deaths were classified according to the duty performed during the onset of symptoms or immediately prior to any sudden death. The majority of deaths due to a cardiovascular cause (i.e. heart attack) occurred during fire suppression whilst this activity represented a relatively small amount of a firefighters professional time. There was also a risk of death associated with other duties such as emergency non-fire response and physical exertion.

The investigators hypothesize that participation in active fire-fighting duties impairs blood vessel function and increases blood clot formation when compared with non-fire-fighting activities. In this study, healthy career firefighters will be assessed after three periods of duty: fire-suppression, emergency response without fire suppression and following a sedentary shift. The investigators will take blood samples to measure platelet activity (platelets are the particles in blood that help blood clot) and will examine how blood clots outside of the body. The investigators will then perform studies placing small needles in the arm to assess blood vessel function following these duties. By undertaking this comprehensive assessment of blood, blood vessel and heart function the investigators hope to understand the mechanisms whereby the risk of a heart attack, fatal or otherwise, is posed throughout these distinct duties that firefighters undertake on a daily basis.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Non-smoking healthy firefighters

Exclusion criteria

• Current smoker
• History of lung or ischaemic heart disease
• Malignant arrhythmia
• Systolic blood pressure >190mmHg or <100mmHg
• Renal or hepatic dysfunction
• Previous history of blood dyscrasia
• Unable to tolerate the supine position
• Blood donation within the last 3 months
• Recent respiratory tract infection within the past 4 weeks
• Routine medication including aspirin and NSAIDs

Trial design

30 participants in 3 patient groups

Fire suppression

Description:

Firefighters will attend for vascular assessments following a night shift where they have performed fire suppression

Treatment:

Procedure: Forearm Vascular Study

Procedure: Badimon Chamber

Non-fire emergency duty

Description:

Firefighters will attend for vascular assessments following a night shift where they have had an emergency response without fire suppression eg. road traffic collision.

Treatment:

Procedure: Forearm Vascular Study

Procedure: Badimon Chamber

Sedentary shift

Description:

Firefighters will attend for vascular assessments following a night shift where they have remained sedentary throughout the shift.

Treatment:

Procedure: Forearm Vascular Study

Procedure: Badimon Chamber