During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of protective masks has been essential to reduce contagions. However, public opinion is that there is an associated subjective shortness of breath. We evaluated cardiorespiratory parameters at rest and during maximal exertion to highlight any differences with the use of protective masks.

12 healthy subjects performed three identical cardiopulmonary exercise tests, one without wearing a protective mask, one wearing a surgical mask and one with a filtering face piece particles class 2 (FFP2) mask. Dyspnoea was assessed using the Borg scale. Standard pulmonary function tests were also performed.

All the subjects (40.8±12.4 years; six male) completed the protocol with no adverse events. Spirometry showed a progressive reduction of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) from no mask to surgical to FFP2 (FEV₁: 3.94±0.91 L, 3.23±0.81 L, 2.94±0.98 L; FVC: 4.70±1.21 L, 3.77±1.02 L, 3.52±1.21 L; p<0.001). Rest ventilation, O₂ uptake (V_O2) and CO₂ production (V_CO2) were progressively lower, with a reduction in respiratory rate. At peak exercise, subjects had a progressively higher Borg scale when wearing surgical and FFP2 masks. Accordingly, at peak exercise, V_O2 (31.0±23.4 mL·kg^–1·min^–1, 27.5±6.9 mL·kg^–1·min^–1, 28.2±8.8 mL·kg^–1·min^–1; p=0.001), ventilation (92±26 L, 76±22 L, 72±21 L; p=0.003), respiratory rate (42±8 breaths·min^–1, 38±5 breaths·min^–1, 37±4 breaths·min^–1; p=0.04) and tidal volume (2.28±0.72 L, 2.05±0.60 L, 1.96±0.65 L; p=0.001) were gradually lower. There was no significant difference in oxygen saturation.

Protective masks are associated with significant but modest worsening of spirometry and cardiorespiratory parameters at rest and peak exercise. The effect is driven by a ventilation reduction due to increased airflow resistance. However, because exercise ventilatory limitation is far from being reached, their use is safe even during maximal exercise, with a slight reduction in performance.

在 COVID-19 大流行期间，使用防护口罩对于减少传染至关重要。然而，舆论认为存在相关的主观呼吸急促。我们评估了休息和最大运动时的心肺参数，以突出使用防护面罩的任何差异。

12 名健康受试者进行了 3 次相同的心肺运动测试，1 次不戴防护口罩，1 次戴外科口罩，1 次戴过滤面罩颗粒物 2 级 (FFP2) 口罩。使用 Borg 量表评估呼吸困难。还进行了标准肺功能测试。

所有受试者（40.8±12.4 岁；六名男性）完成了方案，没有出现不良事件。肺活量测定显示 1 秒内用力呼气量 (FEV ₁ ) 和用力肺活量 (FVC) 从无面罩到手术到 FFP2逐渐减少（FEV ₁：3.94±0.91 L、3.23±0.81 L、2.94±0.98 L；FVC ：4.70±1.21 升、3.77±1.02 升、3.52±1.21 升；p<0.001)。休息通风，O- ₂摄取（V _{Ò 2}）和CO ₂生产（V _{CO 2}）为逐渐降低，随着呼吸速率的降低。在运动高峰期，佩戴外科口罩和 FFP2 口罩的受试者的 Borg 量表逐渐升高。因此，在运动高峰时，V _O2 (31.0±23.4 mL·kg ^–1 ·min ^–1 , 27.5±6.9 mL·kg ^–1 ·min ^–1 , 28.2±8.8 mL·kg ^–1 ·min ^–1 ; p=0.001), 通风 (92± 26 L、76±22 L、72±21 L；p=0.003)，呼吸频率（42±8 次呼吸·min ^–1、38±5 次呼吸·min ^–1、37±4 次呼吸·min ^–1；p= 0.04）和潮气量（2.28±0.72 L、2.05±0.60 L、1.96±0.65 L；p=0.001）逐渐降低。氧饱和度没有显着差异。

防护面罩与休息和高峰运动时的肺活量测定和心肺参数显着但适度恶化有关。这种效果是由于气流阻力增加导致通风减少所致。然而，由于远未达到运动通气限制，因此即使在最大运动期间使用它们也是安全的，但性能略有下降。