ExAero: Aerosol emission during exercise in relation to lung function, age and body weight

研究需求：SARS-CoV-2超级传播者事件发生在室内高强度运动期间，如健身舞或动感单车课程。在运动过程中，呼吸通气量可以从休息时的5-10 l/min增加到一些优秀运动员的200 l/min。通风量的增加如何影响气溶胶排放目前尚不清楚。目的：该项目的目的是回答两个研究问题：1）在静止和不同运动强度下产生了多少气溶胶颗粒，气溶胶的粒度分布是什么？2)肺功能（通过肺功能测试和脉冲多普勒测定）、年龄、BMI是否与休息时和运动时的呼吸气溶胶产生相关？方法：我们将招募40名不同年龄的女性和男性，他们要么体重正常，要么超重/肥胖。所有受试者将在基线时进行肺功能、脉冲多普勒测试，并在基线时获得标准人体测量和其他数据。然后，受试者将进行分级运动，在此期间，将测量运动强度变量以及气溶胶排放（数量和大小分布）。然后，我们将肺功能和其他变量与休息时和不同运动强度下的气溶胶排放相关联。预期成果：这项实验将产生急需的数据，以评估和模拟室内运动期间（如健身中心、体育霍尔斯或游泳池）的气溶胶排放和SARS-CoV-2感染风险。

Research need: SARS-CoV-2 superspreader events have occurred during indoor high-intensity exercise such as fitness dance or spinning classes. During exercise, respiratory ventilation can increase from 5-10 l/min at rest to 200 l/min in some elite athletes. How such an increase in ventilation affects aerosol emission is currently unknown. Aim: The aim of the proposed project is to answer two research questions:1) How many aerosol particles are produced at rest and at different exercise intensities and what is the size distribution of the aerosols? 2) Are lung function (as determined by lung function testing and impulse oscillometry), age, BMI associated with respiratory aerosol production at rest and during exercise?Methods: We will recruit 40 females and males of different ages, which have either normal body weight or are overweight/obese. All subjects will perform lung function, impulse oscillometry testing at baseline and standard anthropometric and other data will be obtained at baseline. Subjects will then perform a graded exercise during which exercise intensity variables, as well as aerosol emission (numbers & size distribution), will be measured. We will then associate lung function and other variables with aerosol emission at rest and at different exercise intensities. Expected outcomes: This experiment will generate much-needed data to assess and model aerosol emission and SARS-CoV-2 infection risk during indoor exercise e.g. in fitness centres, sports halls or swimming pools.