Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35412049›Full record

Trial reportWiener klinische Wochenschrift2022

Reusable respirators as personal protective equipment in clinical practice : User experience in times of a pandemic.

Mathias Maleczek, Frédéric Toemboel, Maximiliaan Van Erp, Florian Thalhammer, Bernhard Rössler

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 37% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Mathias MaleczekDepartment of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Frédéric ToemboelDepartment of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria. frederic.toemboel@meduniwien.ac.at.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2059-1448
Maximiliaan Van ErpDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Krems, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, Austria.
Florian ThalhammerDepartment of Urology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Bernhard RösslerDepartment of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Medical University of Vienna · ATAustrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment GmbH · ATKarl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe novel strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is highly contagious; therefore, special emphasis must be given to personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Reusable elastomeric respirators were previously used in intensive care units (ICU). These respirators include full or half masks and devices modified to accommodate a filter. Although the general comfort of masks used in the ICU has been studied, data comparing multiple types of masks during a pandemic are missing.

methodsA prospective randomized trial was conducted in an ICU. After standardized training, participants were randomized to use one of three mask types (full, half or snorkelling mask), each fitted with a filter equivalent to a class 3 particle-filtering half mask (FFP3) during one shift. The main outcomes were characteristics of using the mask itself (donning/doffing, quality of seal, cleaning), working conditions with the mask (vision, comfort, perceived safety, communication) and a subjective comparison to single-use FFP2/3 masks.

resultsA total of 30 participants were included in the trial, randomized to 10 participants per group. The masks were worn 6.4 (4.5) times (mean SD) for a total duration of 132 (66) min per shift. The tested masks were rated 7 (2.6) (mean SD) in comparison to FFP2/3 on a Likert scale (0: worst, 10: best). Significant differences between the masks were found in respect to comfort (7/4/8), donning (8/7/9), overall rating (8/5/8) and comparison to single-use FFP2/3 masks (9/7/9; full-, half, snorkelling mask).

conclusionUsing reusable elastomeric masks is feasible in clinical practice. Full face masks were significantly better in terms of comfort, donning, overall rating and in comparison to single-use FFP2/3 masks.

Indexed as

COVID-19PandemicsHumansPersonal Protective EquipmentProspective StudiesVentilators, MechanicalCOVIDFFP3Intensive careMaskSARS-CoV‑2

Identifiers

PMID35412049
PMCPMC9001817
OpenAlexW4223413525

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.