Physiological response of emergency care students during a simulated extrication of a patient trapped in a light motor vehicle: implications for exercise testing

Abstract

At present the metabolic cost of a simulated extrication of a patient trapped in a light motor vehicle by emergency care practitioners (ECP’s) is not known. Twenty emergency care students performed i) a simulated (SIM) extrication of a patient trapped in a light motor vehicle, where maximum VO2, VE, HR and RER were measured. These results were compared to values measured during a maximal incremental treadmill test in the laboratory (LAB). VO2max (SIM) was significantly lower than VO2max (LAB) (35.9 ±8.1 vs. 43.5 ± 10.1 mlO2·kg-1.min-1 SIM vs. LAB; P=0.001). Similarly maximum VE during the simulated rescue was significantly lower to maximum VE in the laboratory setting (74.9 ±21 vs. 105.6 ±33 L.min-1 SIM vs. LAB; P=0.001). There was a significant correlation between maximum VO2 (r=0.57), maximum HR(r=0.63) and maximum VE(r=0.59) between the two tests, p<0.05. Extricating a patient from a light motor vehicle is physically demanding. The incremental treadmill laboratory test can be used to determine the minimum cardiovascular requirements for performing a light motor vehicle extrication.