Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41014079›Full record

Trial reportJournal of the American Geriatrics Society2026

Effect of Ceiling Fans on Core Temperature in Bed-Resting Older Adults Exposed to Indoor Overheating.

Fergus K O'Connor, Robert D Meade, Kristina-Marie T Janetos, Caroline Li-Maloney, Ronald J Sigal, Pierre Boulay, Glen P Kenny

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06142890 (Evaluating the Efficacy of Ceiling Fans for Limiting Heat Strain in Elderly Adults During Bed Rest in an Extreme Heat Event), which is not on this map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT06142890 nacompletednot on this map

Evaluating the Efficacy of Ceiling Fans for Limiting Heat Strain in Elderly Adults During Bed Rest in an Extreme Heat Event

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of OttawaRan2023 to 2024Enrolled20ConditionsHyperthermia, Heat Stress, Cooling, AgingArmsNo cooling (control), Cooling with ceiling fan
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Observational
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

7 authors.

Fergus K O'ConnorHuman and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-9509-7682
Robert D MeadeHuman and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Kristina-Marie T JanetosHuman and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Caroline Li-MaloneyHuman and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ronald J SigalHuman and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Pierre BoulayFaculty of Physical Activity Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.
Glen P KennyHuman and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-8683-6973

Funding

CIHR PJT-180242Health Canada 4500387992
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRising global temperatures have increased indoor overheating risks, posing significant health threats to vulnerable populations, particularly older adults. While electric fans are recommended for cooling at temperatures up to 40°C, the efficacy of ceiling fans in very warm indoor temperatures (~31°C) remains understudied. This randomized study evaluated the efficacy of ceiling fans in reducing core temperature and cardiovascular strain among bed-resting adults exposed to simulated indoor overheating (31°C, 45% relative humidity) for 8 h.

methodsTwenty participants (12 females, median [IQR] age: 71 [68-73] years) underwent two experimental exposures with a ceiling fan set at either 0 m/s (control) or ~1.5 m/s (fan condition).

resultsThe primary outcome, peak core temperature, was significantly lowered by 0.2 [95% CI: 0.1-0.3]°C (0.4 [0.2-0.5]°F, p < 0.001) with fan use (mean [SD]) 37.6 [0.2]°C (99.7 [0.4]°F); +0.9 [0.3]°C (+1.6 [0.5]°F) vs. pre-exposure) compared to control (37.8 [0.2]°C (100.0 [0.4]°F); +1.1 [0.5]°C (+2.0 [0.9]°F) vs. pre-exposure). Secondary outcomes, including core temperature area under the curve, peak and end-exposure heart rate, fluid consumption, and thermal discomfort, were also reduced significantly with fan use. Despite these improvements, fan use did not completely ameliorate heat-induced physiological strain.

conclusionsThese findings indicate that while ceiling fans significantly reduce heat-related physiological strain under the conditions tested, they are not wholly efficacious as standalone cooling solutions. A combined "fan-first" approach, integrating fans with ambient cooling strategies, may enhance heat-health protection in older adults. CLINICALTRIALS: GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT06142890.

Indexed as

Body TemperatureHot TemperatureAgedBedsFemaleHeart RateHumansMaleextreme heat eventheat stresssustainable coolingthermoregulation

Identifiers

PMID41014079
PMCPMC12774295

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Registered trials

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.