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Progressive Heat Exposure and Physiological Strain

25 de setembro de 2026 atualizado por: Glen P. Kenny, University of Ottawa

Does a Progressively Warming Workday Alter Work Performed and Physiological Heat Strain in Middle-Aged and Older Men?

Occupational heat-stress guidelines are commonly based on the level of environmental heat exposure and are largely derived from studies conducted under constant environmental conditions. However, outdoor workers are typically exposed to dynamic conditions, with environmental heat often increasing progressively from morning to afternoon. Consequently, workers may experience substantially different patterns of heat exposure across the workday even when average daily heat exposure is equivalent. It remains unclear whether the temporal pattern of heat exposure influences the amount of work that can be performed or the physiological strain experienced during a workday. Understanding these responses is important for determining whether occupational heat-stress guidelines developed under constant laboratory conditions adequately protect workers exposed to progressively changing environmental conditions.

The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the temporal pattern of heat exposure influences work performed and physiological heat strain during a simulated occupational workday in healthy middle-aged and older men. Participants will complete two 9-hour simulated workdays consisting of a 4-hour morning work period, a 1-hour lunch break, and a 4-hour afternoon work period. During one trial, wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) will remain constant at 28°C throughout the workday, whereas during the other trial, WBGT will progressively increase from morning to afternoon to simulate the changing environmental conditions of a typical hot summer workday. Both trials will have the same mean daily WBGT of 28°C. Participants will perform moderate-intensity treadmill exercise, and measures including total work performed, core temperature, heart rate, and time to the initial stay-time threshold will be assessed to determine whether constant and progressively increasing heat exposures produce different physiological and work-performance responses across the workday.

Visão geral do estudo

Status

Ainda não está recrutando

Condições

Intervenção / Tratamento

Tipo de estudo

Intervencional

Inscrição (Estimado)

14

Estágio

  • Não aplicável

Contactos e Locais

Esta seção fornece os detalhes de contato para aqueles que conduzem o estudo e informações sobre onde este estudo está sendo realizado.

Contato de estudo

  • Nome: Glen P Kenny, PhD
  • Número de telefone: 4282 6135625800
  • E-mail: gkenny@uottawa.ca

Locais de estudo

    • Ontario
      • Ottawa, Ontario, Canadá, K1N 6N5
        • University of Ottawa
        • Contato:

Critérios de participação

Os pesquisadores procuram pessoas que se encaixem em uma determinada descrição, chamada de critérios de elegibilidade. Alguns exemplos desses critérios são a condição geral de saúde de uma pessoa ou tratamentos anteriores.

Critérios de elegibilidade

Idades elegíveis para estudo

45 anos a 65 anos (Adulto, Adulto mais velho)

Aceita Voluntários Saudáveis

Sim

Gêneros Elegíveis para o Estudo

Macho

Descrição

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Are male.
  • Do not smoke or have been smoke free for at least 5 years.
  • English or French speaking.
  • Ability to provide informed consent.
  • Are physically active (engage in exercise at least 2 times per week for ≥30 minutes)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Are regularly exposed to hot environments (e.g., occupational heat exposure)
  • Experience claustrophobia or discomfort in enclosed environments
  • Episode(s) of severe hypoglycemia (requiring the assistance of another person) within the previous year, or inability to sense hypoglycemia (hypoglycemia unawareness).
  • Serious complications related to diabetes (gastroparesis, renal disease, uncontrolled hypertension, severe autonomic neuropathy).
  • Uncontrolled hypertension - BP >150 mmHg systolic or >95 mmHg diastolic in a sitting position.
  • Restrictions in physical activity due to disease (e.g. intermittent claudication, renal impairment, active proliferative retinopathy, unstable cardiac or pulmonary disease, disabling stroke, severe arthritis, etc.).
  • Use of or changes in medication judged by the patient or investigators to make participation in this study inadvisable.
  • Cardiac abnormalities identified during screening

Plano de estudo

Esta seção fornece detalhes do plano de estudo, incluindo como o estudo é projetado e o que o estudo está medindo.

Como o estudo é projetado?

Detalhes do projeto

  • Finalidade Principal: Ciência básica
  • Alocação: Randomizado
  • Modelo Intervencional: Atribuição cruzada
  • Mascaramento: Nenhum (rótulo aberto)

Armas e Intervenções

Grupo de Participantes / Braço
Intervenção / Tratamento
Experimental: Constant Heat Exposure

Participants will complete a 9-hour simulated occupational workday consisting of a 4-hour morning work period, a 1-hour seated lunch-recovery period, and a 4-hour afternoon work period. Wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) will remain constant at 28°C throughout the workday. During each work period, participants will perform moderate-intensity treadmill walking at a metabolic heat production of approximately 200 W·m-2. Participants will initially work continuously until reaching the initial stay-time threshold, defined as a core temperature of 38.0°C or an increase of 1.0°C above pre-work baseline, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, participants will complete 45-min work and 15-min seated rest cycles for the remainder of the work period.

Participants complete a simulated occupational workday under constant environmental conditions, with WBGT maintained at 28°C throughout the morning and afternoon work periods.

Experimental: Progressively Increasing Heat Exposure

Participants will complete a 9-hour simulated occupational workday consisting of a 4-hour morning work period, a 1-hour seated lunch-recovery period, and a 4-hour afternoon work period. WBGT will progressively increase from morning to afternoon to simulate the changing environmental conditions of a hot summer workday, while maintaining a mean daily WBGT of 28°C. During each work period, participants will perform moderate-intensity treadmill walking at a metabolic heat production of approximately 200 W·m-2. Participants will initially work continuously until reaching the initial stay-time threshold, defined as a core temperature of 38.0°C or an increase of 1.0°C above pre-work baseline, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, participants will complete 45-min work and 15-min seated rest cycles for the remainder of the work period.

Participants complete a simulated occupational workday in which WBGT progressively increases from morning to afternoon while maintaining a mean daily WBGT of 28°C.

O que o estudo está medindo?

Medidas de resultados primários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Total work performed
Prazo: From the start to the end of the morning and afternoon work periods during each experimental trial (0-4 hours and 5-9 hours after the start of the trial, respectively).

Total work completed during each 240-minute morning and afternoon work period, expressed as cumulative minutes of treadmill walking. Each work period consists of an initial continuous walking phase until core temperature reaches 38.0°C or increases by 1.0°C above the pre-work baseline, whichever occurs first, followed by intermittent 45-min work and 15-min seated rest cycles.

From the start to the end of the morning and afternoon work periods during each experimental trial (0-4 hours and 5-9 hours after the start of the trial, respectively).

Medidas de resultados secundários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Initial stay time
Prazo: During the initial continuous walking phase of each morning and afternoon work period.

Time, in minutes, from the start of continuous treadmill walking until the initial stay-time threshold is reached, defined as a core temperature of 38.0°C or an increase of 1.0°C above the pre-work baseline, whichever occurs first. Participants who do not reach the threshold during the 240-minute work period will be identified as not having reached the threshold within 240 min.

During the initial continuous walking phase of each morning and afternoon work period.
Core temperature
Prazo: Continuously throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.

Core temperature measured continuously using a rectal thermocouple temperature probe to assess thermoregulatory strain throughout the simulated workday.

Continuously throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.
Average core temperature during work-rest cycles
Prazo: During the work-rest cycles of each morning and afternoon work period.

Average core temperature during the intermittent 45-min work and 15-min seated rest cycles following attainment of the initial stay-time threshold.

During the work-rest cycles of each morning and afternoon work period.
Mean skin temperature
Prazo: Assessed throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.

Mean skin temperature calculated from temperatures measured at eight body sites using ISO 9886 weighting factors.

Assessed throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.
Heart rate
Prazo: Continuously throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.

Heart rate measured continuously using a chest-strap heart rate monitor and expressed as absolute heart rate.

Continuously throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.
Percentage of heart rate reserve
Prazo: Throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.

Heart rate expressed as a percentage of the participant's heart rate reserve to assess relative cardiovascular strain during heat exposure.

Throughout each experimental trial, including the morning work period, lunch recovery, and afternoon work period.
Systolic blood pressure
Prazo: Assessed at predetermined intervals throughout each experimental trial.

Systolic blood pressure measured at the brachial artery using automated oscillometry. Three measurements obtained at approximately 1-min intervals will be averaged for analysis.

Assessed at predetermined intervals throughout each experimental trial.
Diastolic blood pressure
Prazo: Assessed at predetermined intervals throughout each experimental trial.

Diastolic blood pressure measured at the brachial artery using automated oscillometry. Three measurements obtained at approximately 1-min intervals will be averaged for analysis.

Assessed at predetermined intervals throughout each experimental trial.
Heart rate variability: standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN)
Prazo: Throughout each experimental trial.

Cardiac autonomic modulation assessed from consecutive R-R intervals obtained using a 5-lead Holter electrocardiogram to calculate the standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN), expressed in milliseconds.

Throughout each experimental trial.
Heart rate variability: root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD)
Prazo: Throughout each experimental trial.

Cardiac autonomic modulation assessed from consecutive R-R intervals obtained using a 5-lead Holter electrocardiogram to calculate the root mean square of successive differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals (RMSSD), expressed in milliseconds.

Throughout each experimental trial.
Urine specific gravity
Prazo: Assessed upon arrival before each experimental trial.

Urine specific gravity measured to assess hydration status upon arrival at the laboratory. Higher values indicate greater urine concentration, whereas lower values indicate lower urine concentration.

Assessed upon arrival before each experimental trial.
Fluid consumption
Prazo: Throughout each experimental trial.

Cumulative fluid consumption determined from all fluid consumed during each experimental session.

Throughout each experimental trial.
Fluid loss from body mass change
Prazo: Assessed at the end of each 240-minute morning and afternoon work period of each experimental trial.

Fluid loss calculated from changes in body mass during each daytime work exposure, corrected for food and fluid intake.

Assessed at the end of each 240-minute morning and afternoon work period of each experimental trial.
Thermal sensation
Prazo: Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.

Thermal sensation assessed using an 8-point scale ranging from 0 (neutral) to 7 (extremely hot). Higher scores indicate a greater sensation of heat.

Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.
Thermal comfort
Prazo: Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.

Thermal comfort assessed using the ISO 10551 scale ranging from 1 (comfortable) to 4 (very uncomfortable). Higher scores indicate greater thermal discomfort.

Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.
Thirst sensation
Prazo: Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.

Thirst sensation assessed using a 9-point scale ranging from 1 (not thirsty at all) to 9 (very, very thirsty). Higher scores indicate greater perceived thirst

Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.
Affective state
Prazo: Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.

Affective state will be assessed using the 11-point Feeling Scale ranging from -5 (very bad) to +5 (very good), with 0 representing neutral. Higher scores indicate more positive affective state.

Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.
Perceived arousal
Prazo: Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.

Perceived arousal assessed using a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (low arousal) to 7 (high arousal). Higher scores indicate greater perceived arousal.

Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle, and at the beginning and end of lunch recovery.
Rating of perceived exertion
Prazo: Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, and at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle.

Perceived exertion assessed using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion scale ranging from 6 (no exertion at all) to 20 (maximal exertion). Higher scores indicate greater perceived exertion.

Assessed at baseline, every 10 min during initial continuous work, at attainment of the initial stay-time threshold, and at the end of the work and recovery components of each work-rest cycle.
Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire-IV (ESQ-IV) total symptom score
Prazo: Assessed at baseline and following completion of each experimental trial.

Symptoms associated with heat exposure will be assessed using the Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire-IV (ESQ-IV). Responses will be combined to generate a total symptom score, with higher scores indicating greater environmental symptom burden.

Assessed at baseline and following completion of each experimental trial.
Profile of Mood States-40 (POMS-40) total mood disturbance score
Prazo: Assessed at baseline and following completion of each experimental trial.

Mood state will be assessed using the abbreviated 40-item Profile of Mood States questionnaire (POMS-40). Responses will be used to calculate a total mood disturbance score, with higher scores indicating greater overall mood disturbance.

Assessed at baseline and following completion of each experimental trial.
Changes in plasma volume
Prazo: Assessed as baseline, and following each 240-minute morning and afternoon work period.

Change in plasma volume from baseline values calculated from duplicate measurements of hemoglobin and hematocrit at the start and end of each exposure using the technique by Dill and Costill.

Assessed as baseline, and following each 240-minute morning and afternoon work period.

Colaboradores e Investigadores

É aqui que você encontrará pessoas e organizações envolvidas com este estudo.

Patrocinador

Datas de registro do estudo

Essas datas acompanham o progresso do registro do estudo e os envios de resumo dos resultados para ClinicalTrials.gov. Os registros do estudo e os resultados relatados são revisados ​​pela National Library of Medicine (NLM) para garantir que atendam aos padrões específicos de controle de qualidade antes de serem publicados no site público.

Datas Principais do Estudo

Início do estudo (Estimado)

1 de outubro de 2026

Conclusão Primária (Estimado)

30 de junho de 2027

Conclusão do estudo (Estimado)

31 de agosto de 2027

Datas de inscrição no estudo

Enviado pela primeira vez

18 de setembro de 2026

Enviado pela primeira vez que atendeu aos critérios de CQ

25 de setembro de 2026

Primeira postagem (Real)

29 de setembro de 2026

Atualizações de registro de estudo

Última Atualização Postada (Real)

29 de setembro de 2026

Última atualização enviada que atendeu aos critérios de controle de qualidade

25 de setembro de 2026

Última verificação

1 de setembro de 2026

Mais Informações

Termos relacionados a este estudo

Outros números de identificação do estudo

  • HEPRU-2026-09-A

Informações sobre medicamentos e dispositivos, documentos de estudo

Estuda um medicamento regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

Estuda um produto de dispositivo regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

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