Enhanced Firefighter Rehab Trial: The Role of Aspirin in Preventing Heat Stress Induced Platelet Activation

NCT ID: NCT01066923

Last Updated: 2017-11-13

Study Results

Results available

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

124 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2010-02-28

Study Completion Date

2011-06-30

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to determine if aspirin taken by firefighters prevents platelets from becoming sticky when body temperature rises during work in protective clothing.

Detailed Description

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Firefighters have the highest rate of line-of duty death (LODD) in the United States. More than half of these LODD are cardiovascular related occurring disproportionately around fire suppression activities. In addition, shift work, lifestyle factors, and the exposures associated with fire suppression (e.g. smoke, chemicals) may predispose the firefighter to earlier onset of heart disease or cause a pro-inflammatory state leading to endothelial dysfunction.

Fire suppression activities exacerbate cardiovascular strain and endothelial dysfunction and provide potential triggers for ischemic events (e.g. myocardial infarction, stroke). There is a rapid rise in heart rate following the activation of a fire company which may persist for as long as 20 minutes. Even in cases where heavy work is not being performed, the repetitive upper body exercise associated with tool use raises heart rate disproportionately to oxygen consumption.

Finally, there is a rapid rise in core body temperature from increased physical activity, environmental heat and impaired thermoregulation that has been shown to cause vasoconstriction and activate coagulation during heat stress (12, 13). This has recently been demonstrated in firefighters working in thermal protective clothing. The combination of triggers created during fire suppression may result in heart attack or stroke, especially in firefighters with risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Interventions beyond basic fireground rehab may be required to minimize the effect of these triggers and enhance a firefighter's health and wellness. Fireground rehab typically focuses on cooling and rehydration of the firefighter following fire suppression or training with the assumption that these interventions will correct the underlying pathophysiology. Effective fireground rehab must deliver appropriate interventions and monitor the progress of the firefighter. While correcting hyperthermia and hypohydration are essential for continued performance, it is not clear if these therapies correct alterations in platelet or endothelial function or if other interventions are necessary to correct these physiological disturbances. Furthermore, the options for monitoring the firefighter beyond simply measuring heart and respiratory rate are limited. In our FEMA-funded Fireground Rehab Evaluation (FIRE) Trial, we demonstrated that five commercially available thermometers did not reliably measure or estimate core temperature following uncompensable heat stress (UHS) making it impossible to gauge the effectiveness of rehab interventions.

Conditions

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Heat Stress Disorders

Keywords

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firefighter heat stress platelet activation aspirin

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

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Daily ASA, Active cool, Acute ASA

Two weeks of daily aspirin therapy prior to exercise, active cooling following exercise, aspirin immediately post exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Daily aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

Two weeks 82 mg aspirin taken orally prior to exercise protocol

Active cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Active cooling to remediate heat stress following exercise by placing hands and forearms into cold water

Acute aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

325 mg chewable aspirin administered immediately following exercise

Daily ASA, Active cool, Acute placebo

Two weeks of daily aspirin therapy prior to exercise, active cooling following exercise, placebo immediately post exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Daily aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

Two weeks 82 mg aspirin taken orally prior to exercise protocol

Active cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Active cooling to remediate heat stress following exercise by placing hands and forearms into cold water

Acute placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for acute aspirin therapy

Daily ASA, Passive cool, Acute ASA

Two weeks of daily aspirin therapy prior to exercise, passive cooling following exercise, aspirin immediately post exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Daily aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

Two weeks 82 mg aspirin taken orally prior to exercise protocol

Acute aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

325 mg chewable aspirin administered immediately following exercise

Passive cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Removing protective garments for passive cooling following exercise

Daily ASA, Passive cool, Acute placebo

Two weeks of daily aspirin therapy prior to exercise, passive cooling following exercise, placebo immediately post exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Daily aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

Two weeks 82 mg aspirin taken orally prior to exercise protocol

Passive cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Removing protective garments for passive cooling following exercise

Acute placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for acute aspirin therapy

Daily placebo, active cool, Acute ASA

Two weeks of daily placebo prior to exercise, active cooling following exercise, aspirin immediately post exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Active cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Active cooling to remediate heat stress following exercise by placing hands and forearms into cold water

Acute aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

325 mg chewable aspirin administered immediately following exercise

Daily placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for daily aspirin therapy

Daily placebo, active cool, Acute placebo

Two weeks of daily placebo prior to exercise, active cooling following exercise, placebo immediately post exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Active cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Active cooling to remediate heat stress following exercise by placing hands and forearms into cold water

Daily placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for daily aspirin therapy

Acute placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for acute aspirin therapy

Daily placebo, Passive cool, Acute ASA

Two weeks of daily placebo prior to exercise, passive cooling following exercise, aspirin immediately post exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Acute aspirin (ASA)

Intervention Type DRUG

325 mg chewable aspirin administered immediately following exercise

Passive cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Removing protective garments for passive cooling following exercise

Daily placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for daily aspirin therapy

Daily placebo, Passive cool, Acute placebo

Two weeks of daily placebo prior to exercise, passive cooling following exercise, placebo immediately post exercise

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Passive cooling

Intervention Type OTHER

Removing protective garments for passive cooling following exercise

Daily placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for daily aspirin therapy

Acute placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo comparator for acute aspirin therapy

Interventions

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Daily aspirin (ASA)

Two weeks 82 mg aspirin taken orally prior to exercise protocol

Intervention Type DRUG

Active cooling

Active cooling to remediate heat stress following exercise by placing hands and forearms into cold water

Intervention Type OTHER

Acute aspirin (ASA)

325 mg chewable aspirin administered immediately following exercise

Intervention Type DRUG

Passive cooling

Removing protective garments for passive cooling following exercise

Intervention Type OTHER

Daily placebo

Placebo comparator for daily aspirin therapy

Intervention Type DRUG

Acute placebo

Placebo comparator for acute aspirin therapy

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1\. Apparently healthy males and females aged 18-49 years

Exclusion Criteria

1. History of heart disease, vascular disease, or sudden death including prior MI, coronary revascularization, congenital heart disease or history of stroke
2. Hypertension during screening: SBP\>139 or DBP\>89
3. Those who are taking medications that may be expected to blunt the physiologic response to a treadmill exercise test (e.g. beta blockers)
4. Prescription medication with known side effect of impaired thermoregulation
5. Positive pregnancy test at any time during the study
6. Resting ECG with clinical presentation suggesting coronary heart disease (e.g. pathologic Q wave)
7. Known history of gastrointestinal disease or disorder i.e. diverticulitis which creates a theoretical risk of the core temperature capsule becoming lodged in the digestive tract
8. Medications and supplements known to alter endothelial function (e.g. arginine, omega 3 fatty acids, NSAIDS, tobacco products. This exclusion may be disregarded for subjects willing to stop taking the supplement for the duration of the study
9. At the discretion of the study physician for any other medical condition or prescription medication
10. Known history of platelet dysfunction
11. Aspirin allergy or intolerance
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

49 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Federal Emergency Management Administration

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Eyemarker Systems, Inc

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

Dave Hostler

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dave Hostler

Professor

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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David Hostler, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Pittsburgh

Locations

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University of Pittsburgh, Emergency Responder Human Performance Lab

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Olafiranye O, Hostler D, Winger DG, Wang L, Reis SE. Effect of aspirin on acute changes in peripheral arterial stiffness and endothelial function following exertional heat stress in firefighters: The factorial group results of the Enhanced Firefighter Rehab Trial. Vasc Med. 2015 Jun;20(3):230-6. doi: 10.1177/1358863X15571447. Epub 2015 May 4.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 25939657 (View on PubMed)

Hostler D, Suyama J, Guyette FX, Moore CG, Pryor RR, Khorana P, McEntire SJ, Comer D, Reis SE. A randomized controlled trial of aspirin and exertional heat stress activation of platelets in firefighters during exertion in thermal protective clothing. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2014 Jul-Sep;18(3):359-67. doi: 10.3109/10903127.2013.869644. Epub 2014 Feb 18.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 24548114 (View on PubMed)

Study Documents

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Document Type: Clinical Study Report

View Document

Document Type: Clinical Study Report

View Document

Other Identifiers

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EMW-2008-FP-01638

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id