title: Fire Simulation and Cardiovascular Health in Firefighters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rates of myocardial infarction in firefighters are increased during fire suppression duties, and are likely to reflect a combination of factors including extreme physical exertion and heat exposure. We assessed the effects of simulated fire suppression on measures of cardiovascular health in healthy firefighters.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an open-label randomized crossover study, 19 healthy firefighters (age, 41±7 years; 16 males) performed a standardized training exercise in a fire simulation facility or light duties for 20 minutes. After each exposure, ex vivo thrombus formation, fibrinolysis, platelet activation, and forearm blood flow in response to intra-arterial infusions of endothelial-dependent and -independent vasodilators were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After fire simulation training, core temperature increased (1.0±0.1°C) and weight reduced (0.46±0.14 kg,P<0.001 for both). In comparison with control, exposure to fire simulation increased thrombus formation under low-shear (73±14%) and high-shear (66±14%) conditions (P<0.001 for both) and increased platelet-monocyte binding (7±10%,P=0.03). There was a dose-dependent increase in forearm blood flow with all vasodilators (P<0.001), which was attenuated by fire simulation in response to acetylcholine (P=0.01) and sodium nitroprusside (P=0.004). This was associated with a rise in fibrinolytic capacity, asymptomatic myocardial ischemia, and an increase in plasma cardiac troponin I concentrations (1.4 [0.8-2.5] versus 3.0 [1.7-6.4] ng/L,P=0.010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to extreme heat and physical exertion during fire suppression activates platelets, increases thrombus formation, impairs vascular function, and promotes myocardial ischemia and injury in healthy firefighters. Our findings provide pathogenic mechanisms to explain the association between fire suppression activity and acute myocardial infarction in firefighters.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01812317.
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Anoop S V
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Jeremy P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Langrish
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Raftis
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lucking
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Mairi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brittan
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Sowmya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venkatasubramanian
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Catherine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Stables
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stelzle
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graveling
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Flapan
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.).
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Newby
authors.affiliation: From British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.L.H., A.S.V.S., J.P.L., A.J.L., M.B., S.V., C.L.S., D.S., D.E.N., N.L.M.); ELEGI/Colt Laboratories, Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Queens Medical Research Institute, United Kingdom (J.B.R.); Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (J.M.); Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (R.G.); and Edinburgh Heart Centre, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (A.D.F.). nick.mills@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nicholas L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Mills
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: endothelium-dependent relaxation; firefighters; thrombosis; vascular