Physiologic Effects and Symptoms Associated with Extended-Use Medical Mask and N95 Respirators

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Infectious Disease Control
• Respiratory Protection

Background:

• Extended use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like N95 filtering facepiece respirators (N95) and medical masks is common in healthcare settings.
• Concerns exist regarding the compliance and tolerance of these masks during prolonged wear.
• Understanding the physiologic and symptomatic effects is crucial for healthcare worker well-being and adherence to safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the physiologic and symptomatic effects of extended-use N95 respirators versus medical masks in hospital personnel.
• To evaluate subjective complaints and objective physiological measures associated with wearing each type of mask during routine clinical activities.

Main Methods:

• A nonrandomized cohort study involving hospital-based healthcare personnel was conducted.
• Participants were assigned to wear either a medical mask alone or an N95 respirator (with or without an overlying medical mask).
• Subjective symptoms were assessed using a 10-point Likert scale, and vital signs were recorded.

Main Results:

• A total of 144 subjects (72 per group) were enrolled, with no significant differences in baseline demographics.
• Approximately 77% of participants reported experiencing subjective symptoms while wearing a mask.
• No statistically significant differences were found in the composite outcome of headache, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness, nor in most recorded symptoms or physiological measures between the N95 and medical mask groups.

Conclusions:

• Both N95 respirators and medical masks, when used for extended periods, are associated with a high proportion of subjective symptoms among healthcare personnel.
• There were no significant differences in the overall proportion or severity of symptoms experienced by users of either mask type.
• These findings suggest comparable tolerance and symptom profiles for extended use of N95 respirators and medical masks in this cohort.