Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 2, 2025
Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
Published on: November 21, 2017
Airflow dynamics and exhaled-breath temperature following cold-water ingestion
Nicholas B Tiller1, Louise A Turner2, John Hart3
1Institute of Respiratory Medicine and Exercise Physiology, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, United States.
Introduction:
Drinking cold water evokes decreases in spirometric indices of lung function. We studied whether this could be explained by changes in exhaled-breath temperature (EBT), airflow dynamics, and spirometer measurement sensitivity.
Methods:
In a randomized/crossover design, 10 healthy adults consumed 1000 mL refrigerated water (2.1 ± 0.64 °C) or water at room temperature (19.4 ± 0.5 °C), with EBT assessed at baseline and at 5, 10, 15 and 30-min post-ingestion. The influence of EBT on pneumotachograph measurement characteristics was modelled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Results:
At 5-min post-ingestion, EBT was lower (p < 0.001) following the ingestion of cold water versus water at room-temperature (31.7 ± 1.1 vs. 33.0 ± 0.9 °C), and remained lower until 30-min post-ingestion. At a flow of 8 L s-1, a decrease in EBT of 2.1 °C (as observed following cold-water ingestion) was modelled to underpredict lung volume by 0.7%.
Conclusions:
Cold water reduces EBT below baseline but effects pneumotachograph measurements only negligibly. Therefore, decreased lung function following cold-water ingestion likely has a physiological explanation which warrants further study.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Requirements for Human Life
Oxygen
Atmospheric air is only about 20 percent oxygen, but that oxygen is a key component of the chemical reactions that keep the body alive, including the reactions that produce ATP. Brain cells are susceptible to a lack of oxygen because they require a...
01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Oral
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
Gently slide the probe cover until a click is heard. This simple action prevents cross-contamination and ensures the correct placement of the probe cover.
Step 4:
Instruct the patient to open their mouth and place...
01:17Other Factors Affecting Respiration Centers
However, the ability to hold one's breath voluntarily is not limitless. When the CO2 concentration in the blood reaches a critical...
01:29Decreased Body Temperature
02:44Heating and Cooling Curves
For instance, the addition of heat raises the temperature of a solid; the amount of heat absorbed depends on the heat capacity of the solid (q = mcsolidΔT). According to thermochemistry, the relation between the amount of heat absorbed or released by a substance, q, and its...
02:45Responses to Heat and Cold Stress