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Scott JPR, Green DA, Weerts G, Cheuvront SN. Effects of body size and countermeasure exercise on estimates of life support resources during all-female crewed exploration missions. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5950. [PMID: 37045858 PMCID: PMC10097614 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31713-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Employing a methodology reported in a recent theoretical study on male astronauts, this study estimated the effects of body size and aerobic countermeasure (CM) exercise in a four-person, all-female crew composed of individuals drawn from a stature range (1.50- to 1.90-m) representative of current space agency requirements (which exist for stature, but not for body mass) upon total energy expenditure (TEE), oxygen (O2) consumption, carbon dioxide (CO2) and metabolic heat (Hprod) production, and water requirements for hydration, during space exploration missions. Assuming geometric similarity across the stature range, estimates were derived using available female astronaut data (mean age: 40-years; BMI: 22.7-kg·m-2; resting VO2 and VO2max: 3.3- and 40.5-mL·kg-1·min-1) on 30- and 1080-day missions, without and with, ISS-like countermeasure exercise (modelled as 2 × 30-min aerobic exercise at 75% VO2max, 6-day·week-1). Where spaceflight-specific data/equations were not available, terrestrial equivalents were used. Body size alone increased 24-h TEE (+ 30%), O2 consumption (+ 60%), CO2 (+ 60%) and Hprod (+ 60%) production, and water requirements (+ 17%). With CM exercise, the increases were + 25-31%, + 29%, + 32%, + 38% and + 17-25% across the stature range. Compared to the previous study of theoretical male astronauts, the effect of body size on TEE was markedly less in females, and, at equivalent statures, all parameter estimates were lower for females, with relative differences ranging from -5% to -29%. When compared at the 50th percentile for stature for US females and males, these differences increased to - 11% to - 41% and translated to larger reductions in TEE, O2 and water requirements, and less CO2 and Hprod during 1080-day missions using CM exercise. Differences between female and male theoretical astronauts result from lower resting and exercising O2 requirements (based on available astronaut data) of female astronauts, who are lighter than male astronauts at equivalent statures and have lower relative VO2max values. These data, combined with the current move towards smaller diameter space habitat modules, point to a number of potential advantages of all-female crews during future human space exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P R Scott
- Institut Médecine Physiologie Spatiale (MEDES), Toulouse, France.
- Space Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany.
| | - David A Green
- Space Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
- KBR GmbH, Cologne, Germany
- Centre of Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Guillaume Weerts
- Space Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
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2
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Harris KM, Arya R, Elias A, Weber T, Green DA, Greaves DK, Petersen LG, Roberts L, Kamine TH, Mazzolai L, Bergauer A, Kim DS, Olde Engberink RH, zu Eulenberg P, Grassi B, Zuccarelli L, Baldassarre G, Tabury K, Baatout S, Jordan J, Blaber AP, Choukér A, Russomano T, Goswami N. Pathophysiology, risk, diagnosis, and management of venous thrombosis in space: where are we now? NPJ Microgravity 2023; 9:17. [PMID: 36797288 PMCID: PMC9935502 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00260-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent incidental discovery of an asymptomatic venous thrombosis (VT) in the internal jugular vein of an astronaut on the International Space Station prompted a necessary, immediate response from the space medicine community. The European Space Agency formed a topical team to review the pathophysiology, risk and clinical presentation of venous thrombosis and the evaluation of its prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, and management strategies in spaceflight. In this article, we discuss the findings of the ESA VT Topical Team over its 2-year term, report the key gaps as we see them in the above areas which are hindering understanding VT in space. We provide research recommendations in a stepwise manner that build upon existing resources, and highlight the initial steps required to enable further evaluation of this newly identified pertinent medical risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie M. Harris
- grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Roopen Arya
- grid.429705.d0000 0004 0489 4320Kings College Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Antoine Elias
- Vascular Medicine, Toulon Hospital Centre, Toulon, France
| | - Tobias Weber
- Space Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany. .,KBR, Cologne, Germany.
| | - David A. Green
- grid.461733.40000 0001 2375 6474Space Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany ,KBR, Cologne, Germany ,grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Danielle K. Greaves
- grid.46078.3d0000 0000 8644 1405Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Lonnie G. Petersen
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
| | - Lara Roberts
- grid.429705.d0000 0004 0489 4320Kings College Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Tovy Haber Kamine
- grid.281162.e0000 0004 0433 813XDivision of Trauma, Acute Care Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA USA
| | - Lucia Mazzolai
- grid.9851.50000 0001 2165 4204Department of Angiology, Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - David S. Kim
- grid.461733.40000 0001 2375 6474Space Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany ,grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Department Emergency Medicine, University British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Rik H. Olde Engberink
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Nephrology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Microcirculation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter zu Eulenberg
- grid.5252.00000 0004 1936 973XInstitute for Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bruno Grassi
- grid.5390.f0000 0001 2113 062XDepartment of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Lucrezia Zuccarelli
- grid.5390.f0000 0001 2113 062XDepartment of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Giovanni Baldassarre
- grid.5390.f0000 0001 2113 062XDepartment of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Kevin Tabury
- grid.8953.70000 0000 9332 3503Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- grid.8953.70000 0000 9332 3503Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Jens Jordan
- grid.7551.60000 0000 8983 7915Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center and University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Andrew P. Blaber
- grid.61971.380000 0004 1936 7494Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC Canada
| | - Alexander Choukér
- grid.411095.80000 0004 0477 2585Translational Research Stress & Immunity, Klinik für Anästhesiologie/Forschungslabors, LMU Klinikum, München, Germany
| | - Thais Russomano
- grid.411095.80000 0004 0477 2585Translational Research Stress & Immunity, Klinik für Anästhesiologie/Forschungslabors, LMU Klinikum, München, Germany ,InnovaSpace UK, London, UK
| | - Nandu Goswami
- grid.11598.340000 0000 8988 2476Division of Physiology, Otto Löwi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Immunity and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria ,Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Applied Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Ekman R, Green DA, Scott JPR, Huerta Lluch R, Weber T, Herssens N. Introducing the Concept of Exercise Holidays for Human Spaceflight - What Can We Learn From the Recovery of Bed Rest Passive Control Groups. Front Physiol 2022; 13:898430. [PMID: 35874509 PMCID: PMC9307084 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.898430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In an attempt to counteract microgravity-induced deconditioning during spaceflight, exercise has been performed in various forms on the International Space Station (ISS). Despite significant consumption of time and resources by daily exercise, including around one third of astronauts' energy expenditure, deconditioning-to variable extents-are observed. However, in future Artemis/Lunar Gateway missions, greater constraints will mean that the current high volume and diversity of ISS in-flight exercise will be impractical. Thus, investigating both more effective and efficient multi-systems countermeasure approaches taking into account the novel mission profiles and the associated health and safety risks will be required, while also reducing resource requirements. One potential approach is to reduce mission exercise volume by the introduction of exercise-free periods, or "exercise holidays". Thus, we hypothesise that by evaluating the 'recovery' of the no-intervention control group of head-down-tilt bed rest (HDTBR) campaigns of differing durations, we may be able to define the relationship between unloading duration and the dynamics of functional recovery-of interest to future spaceflight operations within and beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO)-including preliminary evaluation of the concept of exercise holidays. Hence, the aim of this literature study is to collect and investigate the post-HDTBR recovery dynamics of current operationally relevant anthropometric outcomes and physiological systems (skeletal, muscular, and cardiovascular) of the passive control groups of HDTBR campaigns, mimicking a period of 'exercise holidays', thereby providing a preliminary evaluation of the concept of 'exercise holidays' for spaceflight, within and beyond LEO. The main findings were that, although a high degree of paucity and inconsistency of reported recovery data is present within the 18 included studies, data suggests that recovery of current operationally relevant outcomes following HDTBR without exercise-and even without targeted rehabilitation during the recovery period-could be timely and does not lead to persistent decrements differing from those experienced following spaceflight. Thus, evaluation of potential exercise holidays concepts within future HDTBR campaigns is warranted, filling current knowledge gaps prior to its potential implementation in human spaceflight exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ekman
- Riga Stradins University, Faculty of Medicine, Riga, Latvia
- Space Medicine Team (HRE-OM), European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
| | - David A. Green
- Space Medicine Team (HRE-OM), European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
- Centre of Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- KBR GmbH, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jonathon P. R. Scott
- Space Medicine Team (HRE-OM), European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
- Institut Médecine Physiologie Spatiale (MEDES), Toulouse, France
| | - Roger Huerta Lluch
- Space Medicine Team (HRE-OM), European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
- KBR GmbH, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tobias Weber
- Space Medicine Team (HRE-OM), European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
- KBR GmbH, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nolan Herssens
- Space Medicine Team (HRE-OM), European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany
- MOVANT, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Scott JPR, Kramer A, Petersen N, Green DA. The Role of Long-Term Head-Down Bed Rest in Understanding Inter-Individual Variation in Response to the Spaceflight Environment: A Perspective Review. Front Physiol 2021; 12:614619. [PMID: 33643065 PMCID: PMC7904881 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.614619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to the spaceflight environment results in profound multi-system physiological adaptations in which there appears to be substantial inter-individual variability (IV) between crewmembers. However, performance of countermeasure exercise renders it impossible to separate the effects of the spaceflight environment alone from those associated with exercise, whilst differences in exercise programs, spaceflight operations constraints, and environmental factors further complicate the interpretation of IV. In contrast, long-term head-down bed rest (HDBR) studies isolate (by means of a control group) the effects of mechanical unloading from those associated with countermeasures and control many of the factors that may contribute to IV. In this perspective, we review the available evidence of IV in response to the spaceflight environment and discuss factors that complicate its interpretation. We present individual data from two 60-d HDBR studies that demonstrate that, despite the highly standardized experimental conditions, marked quantitative differences still exist in the response of the cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal systems between individuals. We also discuss the statistical concept of “true” and “false” individual differences and its potential application to HDBR data. We contend that it is currently not possible to evaluate IV in response to the spaceflight environment and countermeasure exercise. However, with highly standardized experimental conditions and the presence of a control group, HDBR is suitable for the investigation of IV in the physiological responses to gravitational unloading and countermeasures. Such investigations may provide valuable insights into the potential role of IV in adaptations to the spaceflight environment and the effectiveness of current and future countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P R Scott
- Space Medicine Team, ISS Operations and Astronaut Group, Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany.,KBR GmbH, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Kramer
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Nora Petersen
- Space Medicine Team, ISS Operations and Astronaut Group, Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany.,KBR GmbH, Cologne, Germany
| | - David A Green
- Space Medicine Team, ISS Operations and Astronaut Group, Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany.,KBR GmbH, Cologne, Germany.,Centre of Human and Applied Physiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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