Does Mask Use During Activity Affect the Hemodynamic Response?

Introduction: The widespread adoption of mask usage has raised concerns about potential effects on the cardiopulmonary system during physical activity, possibly leading to increased work of breathing and dyspnea. This study aimed to investigate the influence of mask use on hemodynamic responses during physical activity. Materials and Methods: A cross-over clinical study was conducted, involving healthy young subjects aged 18-25 years. Participants were randomly assigned to either the Mask Group, which wore masks during exercise, or the Non-mask Group, which did not use masks. Both groups performed treadmill exercises at 60% of their maximum heart rate. Following the first exercise set, a wash-out period of the same duration was given before repeating the exercise sets with the groups crossed over. Blood pressure, oxygen saturation, heart rate were measured before and after each exercise set, and breathlessness levels were scored using the Modified Borg Scale. Results: The study included 52 subjects (68% male, 32% female), with a mean age of 21.75 years. Statistically significant changes in hemodynamic parameters were observed from pre to post exercise in both groups (p0.05). Conclusions: In healthy young individuals, physical exercise induced an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, dyspnea, and fatigue, accompanied by a decrease in oxygen saturation. Surprisingly, the presence or absence of a mask during exercise did not have a statistically significant impact on the hemodynamic parameters. Nevertheless, further research in similar settings is warranted to confirm these findings.