Fatigue in Air Search and Rescue Missions
- Conditions
- Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic
- Interventions
- Other: Search and rescue mission
- Registration Number
- NCT06253026
- Lead Sponsor
- Faculdade de Motricidade Humana
- Brief Summary
The purpose of this observational study is to understand and evaluate the physiological, psychological, and cognitive impact of 15 consecutive days of air search and rescue mission deployments on Portuguese Air Force crews. The main goals are: 1) Characterize and compare the body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and strength levels of air force search and rescue mission crew members with different tasks; 2) Characterize the physiological, psychological and cognitive impacts induced by a single deployment; 3) Identify possible cumulative effects of successive deployments on the variables of interest; 3) Characterize the changes in lifestyle, quality of sleep and nutrition induced by the deployments. The participants will be evaluated after a period of hollidays, before missions, during missions, upon arrival, for a period of twelve months, and at the end of twelve months.
- Detailed Description
Fatigue, especially in its mental and physical forms, impacts aviation performance and can result from sleep deprivation, prolonged wakefulness, changes in the circadian cycle and eating patterns, or excessive workload. The Air Force's multidisciplinary teams deployed to complex missions, where physical and mental demands are known to be different between each operational element, face the need for diligence and efficiency to avoid errors that could result in fatal consequences. Physical and mental recovery becomes crucial for optimal performance in missions that require precision, physical robustness and mental acuity. Furthermore, fatigue can have long-term health effects, associated with reduced work capacity and possibly depression and anxiety. Understanding the physiological and psychological impact of each mission highlights the need for corrective and preventative measures to increase success and safety. The objective of the present study is to understand and evaluate the physiological, psychological and cognitive impacts after deployment missions on Portuguese Air Force personnel. Both ground personnel and air search and rescue mission crews will be evaluated after a period of holidays (baseline). During twelve months, when participants are recruited for missions, assessments will occur at three points: pre-mission, during the mission and post-mission. Twelve months after the first assessment (final), all personnel will be evaluated again. Pre-mission assessments will take place during the week prior to departure for the mission. Baseline, final and pre-mission assessments will include anthropometric measurements, assessment of body composition and water compartments, cardiorespiratory, balance and strength tests, cognitive performance, well-being, sleep quality, food intake, psychological tests, and blood biochemical analyses. During the mission, food intake and sleep quality will be monitored. The post-mission assessment that will be carried out upon arrival will only include water compartment assessment, strength tests, cognitive performance, well-being, psychological tests, and blood biochemical analysis. Statistical analysis will be performed using IBM SPSS Statistics software (version 28.0, NY, IBM). Descriptive analyzes will be carried out to characterize the sample. Normality for each variable of interest will be tested with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Either the paired t test or the Wilcoxon test will be used to assess the effect of each 15-day mission (pre vs post). ANOVA for repeated measures (2x2) will be used to assess the cumulative effect of the missions (baseline vs final and ground personnel vs air personnel). A statistical significance of α = p\<0.05 will be considered.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 60
- Air Force Military
For intervention group
- Approved for search and rescue missions by the clinical staff
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Air mission personnel Search and rescue mission Military crew that goes to air search and rescue missions in groups of five
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change of heart rate variability Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year bpm, rr interval
Peak tork of extensors and flexors of the tight Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Peak tork
Change of Well-being Index Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Numeric scale (0-28). A lower score is associated with a better result
Change in response inhibition (Stroop test) Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Number of errors, reaction time (ms)
Change of double task ability Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year walking and calculating
VO2max 1 year Indirect calorimetry (mL/kg/min)
Hematological indicators (hemoglobin) Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year grams/mL blood
Possible perturbations diagnosis 1 year Psychology clinical interview
Changes in response inhibition (go/no go test) Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Number of errors, reaction time (ms)
Change of maximal voluntary strength Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year N
Isometric mid-tight pull Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year maximal tork
Hematological indicators (hematocrit) Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Percentage (volume/volume) of red blood cell in total blood
Change of maximal Hand Grip strength Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year N
Hematological indicators (cell counts) Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Number of red and white cells per mL of total blood
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in body mass BIA Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year body mass (kg)
Change in total water BIA Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Total water (kg)
Change in intracellular water BIA Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Intracellular water (kg), extracellular water (kg)
Change in fat-free mass BIA Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Fat-free mass (kg)
Change in fat mass BIA Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Fat mass (kg)
Change in extracellular water BIA Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Extracellular water (kg)
Change in center of pressure Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year cm
Bone mineral content dxa 1 year kg
Change in eating pattern (record) calories and macros Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year kcal/d
Change in sleep pattern, and sleep efficiency and quality of sleep Every 15 days search and rescue mission, up to 1 year Sleep minutes and minutes to fall asleep
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Faculty of Human Kinetics
🇵🇹Lisbon, Portugal