The impact of surgical masks on the nasal function in the COVID-19 era.
Acta Otolaryngol
; 141(10): 941-947, 2021 Oct.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1406423
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The Covid-19 pandemics has obliged to using different types of personal protective devices (PPD) for a prolonged time of the day, especially in the Health Centers, with preference of surgical masks (SM) during the first pandemic waves. AIMS/OBJECTIVES:
This study was designed to assess the eventual changes of the nasal respiratory condition during continuous SM wearing. MATERIAL ANDMETHODS:
Fourteen healthcare professionals filled a visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire for the detection of eventual nasal breathing impairment or symptoms. Nasal resistance and flow values were obtained via the active anterior rhinomanometry (AAR) that was performed under the basal condition, as well as immediately after wearing the surgical mask (SM) and 3 h after its continuous use.RESULTS:
The increase of inspiratory resistance was significantly correlated to the reduction of the maximum flux, when comparing SM parameters to the basal ones (r = -0.70, p < .05). At VAS evaluation, SM wearing showed to induce itching in 70% of the subjects, nasal dryness in 55%, nasal blockage in 50%, headache in 39%, watery nasal discharge in 20% and sneezing in 18%. CONCLUSIONS ANDSIGNIFICANCE:
The SMs do not induce evident physiological variations of the nasal function due to a compensatory respiratory mechanism that, despite a progressive increase of nasal resistances, is not inducing significant changes of the nasal fluxes.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Masks
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
Acta Otolaryngol
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
00016489.2021.1974555
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