Evaluation of Cardiac Autonomic Activity During + Gz Stress in Military Pilots
Microgravity Science and Technology, cilt.35, sa.1, 2023 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 35 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2023
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s12217-022-10028-7
- Dergi Adı: Microgravity Science and Technology
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aerospace Database, BIOSIS, Compendex, INSPEC
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Acceleration forces, Autonomic activity, Electrocardiogram, Military pilots
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Acceleration forces are a substantial source of stress that is frequently experienced in high-performance military aircraft. There are a limited number of methods that can objectively evaluate the physiological effects of exposure to this stress. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the autonomic cardiac effects of + Gz stress exposure through QT interval parameters (QT, QTc, QTi), which are objective indicators, during centrifuge training of military pilots. Sixty-five healthy male pilots (with ages of 24.95 ± 5.95) were included in the study, and the Perceived Stress Scale-14 was used to determine their stress levels before training. During the centrifuge training, ECG data of the pilots were recorded under + 1.1 Gz and + 4.5 Gz acceleration exposures. From these data, heart rate, QT, QTc, and QTi levels were extracted with a computer program. The variations in these parameters with the increase in the exposure level of the acceleration force were examined. The QT interval shortened with the increased exposure to + Gz acceleration, whereas QTc prolonged, QTi increased and increased heart rate rose. While the shortening in the QT interval was not statistically significant, the increases in other parameters were found to be statistically significant. Autonomic imbalance due to + Gz stress is a high-risk condition that may lead to cardiovascular events in the future, and the diagnosis of this imbalance at an early stage is critical for the development of protective measures. The measurement of QTc and QTi parameters attracts attention as a useful method in determining the cardiac autonomic effects of + Gz stress during centrifuge training.