| Yazarlar (4) |
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Nuray DEMİRALP
Kastamonu Üniversitesi, Türkiye |
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Serdar AKYEL
Kastamonu Üniversitesi, Türkiye |
Hürmüz Koç
Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi, Türkiye |
|
Ahmet Öztürk
Erciyes University, Faculty Of Medicine, Türkiye |
| Özet |
| Aim: This pilot study aimed to systematically evaluate exercise-induced electrocardiographic (ECG) responses in professional firefighters and to explore the association between premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) and myocardial ischemia in this high-risk occupational group. Method: This pilot cross-sectional study enrolled 21 male firefighters (mean age 43.4 ± 7.18 years) from a single municipal fire department. Participants underwent comprehensive cardiovascular assessment including anthropometric measurements, biochemical analyses (lipid profile, testosterone), submaximal exercise testing (Bruce protocol), and 24-h Holter ECG monitoring. Statistical analyses included Mann–Whitney U tests and effect size calculations. Results: No exercise-induced ST-segment changes indicative of myocardial ischemia were observed. However, PVCs were detected in 33% of participants (7/21), with exercise testing revealing 18 simple and 2 multiform PVCs, while Holter monitoring recorded 25 simple and 1 multiform PVC. PVC-positive firefighters were significantly older (median 49 vs. 40 years, p = 0.019, r = 0.514). Mean exercise capacity was 12.45 METs, with 81% achieving moderate fitness levels. Post-exercise heart rate recovery (HRR1: 24 ± 11.5 bpm; HRR2: 35.4 ± 11.5 bpm) showed normal patterns. Conclusion: The findings of this pilot study indicate the need for larger-scale investigations, supported by advanced diagnostic modalities, to clarify the clinical relevance of exercise-induced premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) in firefighters. Although no ischemic changes were observed, the presence of subclinical coronary artery disease cannot be definitively excluded. These results provide a meaningful preliminary foundation for developing targeted screening approaches to improve early cardiovascular risk detection in high-physical-demand occupational groups. |
| Anahtar Kelimeler |
| Electrocardiography | Exercise Test | Firefighters | Occupational Health | Premature Ventricular Complexes |
| Makale Türü | Özgün Makale |
| Makale Alt Türü | SSCI, AHCI, SCI, SCI-Exp dergilerinde yayınlanan tam makale |
| Dergi Adı | European Journal of Applied Physiology |
| Dergi ISSN | 1439-6319 Wos Dergi Scopus Dergi |
| Dergi Grubu | Q2 |
| Makale Dili | İngilizce |
| Basım Tarihi | 01-2025 |
| Sayı | 1 |
| Doi Numarası | 10.1007/s00421-025-06008-5 |
| Atıf Sayıları |
