Cardiovascular Responses in Burn Survivors During Exercise
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Summary
This project will identify the efficacy of cooling modalities aimed to attenuate excessive elevations in skin and internal body temperatures, and associated indices of cardiovascular stress, during physical activity in well-healed burn survivors. The investigators will conduct a randomized crossover design study. Non-burned control subjects and subjects who experienced burns covering 20% or more of their body surface area will be investigated. Subjects will exercise in heated environmental conditions while receiving no cooling (control) as well as skin wetting.
Description
Within the United States, 500,000+ individuals are enduring the long-term consequences of severe burn injuries covering 20% or more of their body surface area, with upwards to 11,000 individuals experiencing such an injury per year. These burn injuries can severely compromise body temperature regulation, owing to permanent impairments in the primary thermoeffectors necessary to dissipate heat, namely profoundly blunted skin blood flow and sweating responses in the injured skin. The investigators propose that this heat intolerance deters burn survivors from participating in physical activity, i…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: Non-Burned Individuals * Healthy male and female subjects * 18-65 years of age. * Free of any underlying medical conditions Exclusion Criteria: Non-Burned Individuals * Any burn-related injuries resulting in at least one night of hospitalization. * Heart disease or any other chronic medical condition requiring regular medical therapy including cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. * Abnormalities detected on routine screening * Individuals who participate in a structured aerobic exercise training program at moderate to high intensities. * Current smokers, as well as indivi…
Interventions
- OtherControl (no cooling modalities)
Subjects will exercise for 60 minutes in the heat while being exposed to no cooling modality.
- OtherWater Spray
Subjects will exercise for 60 minutes in the heat while being exposed to skin wetting. Skin wetting will be performed by spraying water onto the skin throughout the exercise bout.
Location
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine - Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital DallasDallas, Texas