Hemostatic Responses to Multiple Bouts of Firefighting Activity: Female vs. Male Differences in a High Demand, High Performance Occupation

Denise L. Smith, Gavin P. Horn, Steven J. Petruzzello, Gregory G. Freund, Samuel I. Bloom and Bo Fernhall
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Denise L. Smith: Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
Gavin P. Horn: Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
Steven J. Petruzzello: Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
Gregory G. Freund: Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
Samuel I. Bloom: Department of Health and Human Physiological Sciences, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA
Bo Fernhall: Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-8

Abstract: While the fire service has long been a male-dominated occupation, women’s participation in this strenuous, high risk, high performance activity has increased in recent years. Firefighting induces significant cardiovascular strain, including hemostatic disruption; however, the effect of sex on hemostatic responses has not been investigated despite evidence that there are sex-related differences in hemostatic variables at rest and following exercise. Thus, we investigated hemostatic responses in age- and BMI-matched male and female firefighters who performed 3–4 evolutions of firefighting drills over a 3 h period. Venous blood samples were collected before and after the firefighting training drills and hemostatic variables were assessed. Firefighting significantly increased platelet count and factor VIII, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen, and t-PA activity, and decreased activated partial thromboplastin time and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) activity. Females had lower values for epinephrine-induced platelet closure time, antithrombin III, PAI-1 activity, and PAI-1 antigen. There were no interactions between sex and time for any variables assessed. In conclusion, multiple bouts of firefighting activity resulted in a procoagulatory state. Although there were sex differences for several hemostatic variables, male and female firefighters did not differ in their hemostatic response to multiple bouts of firefighting.

Keywords: hemostasis; coagulation; fibrinolysis; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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