Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staff

Abstract This study aimed to determine whether wearing N95 masks for 4 h significantly affected physiological indicators in obese operating room staff compared to surgical masks (SMs). In this randomized crossover trial, the physiological impacts of wearing SMs and N95 masks for 4 h was analysed amo...

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Main Authors: Chuanyu Fang, Yanzhe Ba, Yuanlei Gao, Yu Liu, Shaozhong Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91578-9
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author Chuanyu Fang
Yanzhe Ba
Yuanlei Gao
Yu Liu
Shaozhong Yang
author_facet Chuanyu Fang
Yanzhe Ba
Yuanlei Gao
Yu Liu
Shaozhong Yang
author_sort Chuanyu Fang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study aimed to determine whether wearing N95 masks for 4 h significantly affected physiological indicators in obese operating room staff compared to surgical masks (SMs). In this randomized crossover trial, the physiological impacts of wearing SMs and N95 masks for 4 h was analysed among 20 obese operating room staff. The data were connected to a nasal sampling tube using the Capnostream 20p monitor. The primary outcome was the change in venous carbon dioxide partial pressure (PvCO2) levels at 4-hour intervention. Secondary outcomes included venous oxygen pressure (PvO2), bicarbonate (HCO3 −), pH levels, end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (PetCO2), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate (RR), pulse rate (PR) and blood pressure after mask intervention. Dyspnoea, palpitations, headache were assessed with the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. N95 masks had a statistically significant rather than clinically significant impact on PvCO2 (mean [95% CI], 1.4 [0.8, 1.9], P < 0.001) and RR (0.6 [0.1, 1.1)], P = 0.023) changes compared with SM. The three subjective VAS scores of the N95 group showed significantly increased than SM group after 2 h. In conclusion, obese operating room staff continuously wearing SM or N95 masks 4 h showed almost no difference in physiological impacts. Trial registration NCT05950256, 18/07/2023.
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spelling doaj-art-76939caf062a426f802c978d0d5267672025-08-20T02:59:32ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-011511910.1038/s41598-025-91578-9Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staffChuanyu Fang0Yanzhe Ba1Yuanlei Gao2Yu Liu3Shaozhong Yang4Department of Anesthesiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityDepartment of Anesthesiology, Center for Reproductive Medicine ShandongUniversityDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityAbstract This study aimed to determine whether wearing N95 masks for 4 h significantly affected physiological indicators in obese operating room staff compared to surgical masks (SMs). In this randomized crossover trial, the physiological impacts of wearing SMs and N95 masks for 4 h was analysed among 20 obese operating room staff. The data were connected to a nasal sampling tube using the Capnostream 20p monitor. The primary outcome was the change in venous carbon dioxide partial pressure (PvCO2) levels at 4-hour intervention. Secondary outcomes included venous oxygen pressure (PvO2), bicarbonate (HCO3 −), pH levels, end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (PetCO2), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate (RR), pulse rate (PR) and blood pressure after mask intervention. Dyspnoea, palpitations, headache were assessed with the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. N95 masks had a statistically significant rather than clinically significant impact on PvCO2 (mean [95% CI], 1.4 [0.8, 1.9], P < 0.001) and RR (0.6 [0.1, 1.1)], P = 0.023) changes compared with SM. The three subjective VAS scores of the N95 group showed significantly increased than SM group after 2 h. In conclusion, obese operating room staff continuously wearing SM or N95 masks 4 h showed almost no difference in physiological impacts. Trial registration NCT05950256, 18/07/2023.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91578-9End-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressureN95 maskObese operating room staffPhysiological impactsSurgical maskVenous carbon dioxide partial pressure
spellingShingle Chuanyu Fang
Yanzhe Ba
Yuanlei Gao
Yu Liu
Shaozhong Yang
Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staff
Scientific Reports
End-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure
N95 mask
Obese operating room staff
Physiological impacts
Surgical mask
Venous carbon dioxide partial pressure
title Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staff
title_full Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staff
title_fullStr Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staff
title_full_unstemmed Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staff
title_short Physiological impact of surgical masks and N95 masks on obese operating room staff
title_sort physiological impact of surgical masks and n95 masks on obese operating room staff
topic End-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure
N95 mask
Obese operating room staff
Physiological impacts
Surgical mask
Venous carbon dioxide partial pressure
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91578-9
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