Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2008 Jan-Mar;43(1):55-61.
doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-43.1.55.

Thermoregulatory influence of a cooling vest on hyperthermic athletes

Rebecca M Lopez  1 , Michelle A Cleary, Leon C Jones, Ron E Zuri
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Thermoregulatory influence of a cooling vest on hyperthermic athletes

Rebecca M Lopez et al. J Athl Train. 2008 Jan-Mar.

Abstract

Context: Athletic trainers must have sound evidence for the best practices in treating and preventing heat-related emergencies and potentially catastrophic events.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of a superficial cooling vest on core body temperature (T(c)) and skin temperature (T(sk)) in hypohydrated hyperthermic male participants.

Design: A randomized control design with 2 experimental groups.

Setting: Participants exercised by completing the heat-stress trial in a hot, humid environment (ambient temperature = 33.1 +/- 3.1 degrees C, relative humidity = 55.1 +/- 8.9%, wind speed = 2.1 +/- 1.1 km/hr) until a T(c) of 38.7 +/- 0.3 degrees C and a body mass loss of 3.27 +/- 0.1% were achieved.

Patients or other participants: Ten healthy males (age = 25.6 +/- 1.6 years, mass = 80.3 +/- 13.7 kg).

Intervention(s): Recovery in a thermoneutral environment wearing a cooling vest or without wearing a cooling vest until T(c) returned to baseline.

Main outcome measure(s): Rectal T(c), arm T(sk), time to return to baseline T(c), and cooling rate.

Results: During the heat-stress trial, T(c) significantly increased (3.6%) and, at 30 minutes of recovery, T(c) had decreased significantly (2.6%) for both groups. Although not significant, the time for return to baseline T(c) was 22.6% faster for the vest group (43.8 +/- 15.1 minutes) than for the no-vest group (56.6 +/- 18.0 minutes), and the cooling rate for the vest group (0.0298 +/- 0.0072 degrees C/min) was not significantly different from the cooling rate for the no-vest group (0.0280 +/- 0.0074 degrees C/min). The T(sk) during recovery was significantly higher (2.1%) in the vest group than in the no-vest group and was significantly lower (7.1%) at 30 minutes than at 0 minutes for both groups.

Conclusions: We do not recommend using the cooling vest to rapidly reduce elevated T(c). Ice-water immersion should remain the standard of care for rapidly cooling severely hyperthermic individuals.

Keywords: heatstroke; hyperthermia; hypohydration.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The HeatShield cooling vest.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Core body temperature of participants during the heat-stress trial and recovery while wearing no vest or vest.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Skin temperature of participants during the heat-stress trial and recovery while wearing no vest or vest.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Binkley H.M, Beckett J, Casa D.J, Kleiner D.M, Plummer P.E. National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: exertional heat illnesses. J Athl Train. 2002;37(3):329–343. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Armstrong L.E. Performing in Extreme Environments. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2000. pp. 15–70.
    1. Clapp A.J, Bishop P.A, Muir I, Walker J.L. Rapid cooling techniques in joggers experiencing heat strain. J Sci Med Sport. 2001;4(2):160–167. - PubMed
    1. Cheuvront S.N, Kolka M.A, Cadarette B.S, Montain S.J, Sawka M.N. Efficacy of intermittent, regional microclimate cooling. J Appl Physiol. 2003;94(5):1841–1848. - PubMed
    1. Armstrong L.E, Crago A.E, Adams R, Roberts W.O, Maresh C.M. Whole-body cooling of hyperthermic runners: comparison of two field therapies. Am J Emerg Med. 1996;14(4):355–358. - PubMed

Publication types