COVID-19 in Polish Ice Swimmers. (ICE)

Influence of Ice Swimming on Hardening Against SARS-CoV-2 and Influence of AB0 Rh Blood Type on Viral Resistance in Polish Ice Swimmers.

Ice swimming is an increasingly common phenomenon in Poland. It has been confirmed that it has a beneficial effect on health by increasing the natural non-specific immunity to infections. In the face of the current Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic causing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), researchers decided to use a survey to check the incidence of COVID-19 among Polish ice swimmers, as well as recent ailments. Then, the researchers will compare the obtained results with epidemiological data for Poland.Researchers will also investigate the relationship between susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the blood group and Rh factor among ice swimmers.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Covid19; Hypothermia; SARS-CoV Infection; Hypothermia Due to Cold Environment; Resistance, Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Ice Swimming

Detailed Description

The research tool is an original questionnaire compiled by a team of experts conducting the study. The survey includes questions about sociodemographic data, such as age and gender and blood type in AB0 system with Rh factor, and questions about the frequency of ice swimming, the duration of a single session, and since when respondents have been ice swimming. There was also a question about the respondents' compliance with the restrictions and recommendations related to the pandemic and contacts with people with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the survey, researchers ask about the infectious symptoms experienced during the pandemic and about being diagnosed with COVID-19 or its exclusion. People who have been ill are asked about the place of treatment.

The questionnaires are collected in traditional form, on the Internet and as scans of documents. Each survey was completely anonymous. The obtained statistical data will be compared with official data on new COVID-19 cases and recoveries at the same time. Official data are published by the Ministry of Health and earlier also by Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations. The main aim of the study was to determine whether ice swimming also increases resistance to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 2534

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Poland
  • Dolny Slask
    • Wrocław, Dolny Slask, Poland, 51-618
      • Department of Public Health at Wroclaw Medical University
  • Lubuskie
    • Gorzów Wielkopolski, Lubuskie, Poland, 66-400
      • Department of Radiotherapy of Multidisciplinary Provincial Hospital
    • Zielona Góra, Lubuskie, Poland, 65-031
      • Treasury Medical Company

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Surveys are distributed en masse among ice swimmers from Poland. Comparative data for the control group is derived from officially published national and regional pandemic data.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• ice swimmers

Exclusion Criteria:

• not active ice swimmers

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Ice Swimmers Group.; No intervention. Data obtained from Polish ice swimmers reported by them retrospectively in the questionnaire.	Other: Ice Swimming; The intervention is not made in the course of a research study. Ice swimming has been introduced earlier by a given group. The group was made up of people who already swim in ice.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assessment of the incidence of COVID-19 among ice swimmers compared to the general population.	Comparison of the data obtained from surveys collected among ice swimmers with the data published in official channels for the general population during this period.	47 days.
Assessment of the frequency of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection among ice swimmers compared to the general population.	Comparison of the data obtained from surveys collected among ice swimmers with the data published in official channels for the general population during this period.	47 days.
Assessment of the frequency of occurrence of particular symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection among ice swimmers compared to the general population.	Comparison of the data obtained from surveys collected among ice swimmers with the data published in official channels for the general population during this period.	47 days.
Assessment of the frequency of COVID-19 treatment in an outpatient, inpatient and intensive care unit among ice swimmers compared to the general population.	Comparison of the data obtained from surveys collected among ice swimmers with the data published in official channels for the general population during this period.	47 days.
Assessment of the impact of parameters and ice swimming strategies on the likelihood of developing COVID-19, the occurrence of individual symptoms of the disease and the severity of its course.	Inference from data obtained from surveys collected among ice swimmers.	47 days.
Assessment of the influence of blood group on susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection among ice swimmers.	Inference from data obtained from surveys collected among ice swimmers.	47 days.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assessment of the immunity of the ice swimmer's immune system compared to the general population.	Comparison of the data obtained from surveys collected among ice swimmers with the data published in official channels for the general population during this period.	47 days.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wroclaw Medical University
• Investigators: Study Director: Sylwia Sulimiera Michalak, MD, PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical University of Zielona Gora; Study Director: Edyta Wolny-Rokicka, MD, PhD, Department and Center of Radiotherapy, Multidisciplinary Provincial Hospital in Gorzow Wielkopolski; Study Chair: Andrzej Tukiendorf, Prof., Department of Public Health, Wroclaw Medical University; Principal Investigator: Lukasz K Wysoczanski, MD, Department of Family Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University; Principal Investigator: Paulina N Wysoczanska, MD, Department of Family Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 17, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 25, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): March 26, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 9, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 6, 2021
• Last Verified: April 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Immunity; Immune System; Ice Swim; Temporarily cooling down
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Lung Diseases; Disease Attributes; Body Temperature Changes; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; COVID-19; Hypothermia; Disease Resistance
• Other Study ID Numbers: KB-03/139/2021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No