Effects of different personal protective equipment on the cardiovascular system in a 6-minute walk test

During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, public and healthcare workers were recommended to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to prevent the spread of infection. With the increased use of different types of respiratory protection, including facemasks and PPE, cardiovascular parameters are expected to vary within physiological levels.

This study aimed to evaluate the variations in cardiovascular parameters on wearing facemasks or full-body PPE while performing the 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT), a standardized physical exercise.

This quasi-experimental study involved 99 healthy young adults aged 18-24 years with a normal mean BMI. The participants were randomly selected into a control and two experimental groups (wearing a facemask, or full-body PPE). Measurements of Heart Rate (HR), Blood Pressure (BP), and Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂%) were performed before and after 6-MWT. The data were analyzed using paired t-tests for comparison of parameters and repeated measures ANOVA for a Group × Time (Pretest/Posttest) interaction between the groups, where p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Based on paired t-tests, heart rate and blood pressure showed a significant difference between pretest and posttest in each group. Mixed-model ANOVA revealed no significant Group × Time interactions for any cardiovascular parameter, indicating that the physiological response to the 6-MWT was similar regardless of PPE worn. A significant difference in 6-minute walk distance was observed between the facemask group and full-body PPE group.

In this cohort, no significant effects of Group × Time interaction were observed for SpO₂%, HR, and BP on wearing different PPE and performing 6-MWT, a submaximal physical activity.