The investigators hypothesize that 1. an acute treatment of low-dose aspirin will lead to a) decreased resting platelet activation, platelet aggregation, and clotting potential, b) increased fibrinolytic potential following fire fighting, c) no significant effect on endothelial function or arterial stiffness versus the placebo condition. 2. chronic treatment with low-dose aspirin will lead to a) decreased resting and fire fighting induced platelet activation, platelet aggregation, clotting potential, b) increased fibrinolytic potential, and c) increased endothelial function and decreased arterial stiffness in response to live fire fighting versus the placebo condition. 3. short-term fire fighting activity will result in: a) a reduction in arterial function (reduced endothelial function, increased augmentation index and an attenuated arterial stiffness response); b) a disruption in hemostasis that is characterized by an increase in platelet number and function, an increased coagulatory potential and altered fibrinolytic potential; and c) an elevation in procoagulatory cytokines, systemic inflammation, monokine chemoattractant protein, and matrix metalloproteinases.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
24
81 mg enteric coated aspirin will be provided both as an acute dosage immediately prior to firefighting (1 hour pre-activity) and as a 14 day dosage prior to firefighting
Illinois Fire Service Institute
Champaign, Illinois, United States
Vascular function
Vascular function will be assessed via pulse wave analysis, pulse wave velocity, carotid artery compliance, beta stiffness index, forearm rsistance artery vasodilatory capacity, and brachial artery blood flow.
Time frame: Less than 60 minutes before initiating firefighting activity
Hemostatic balance
Blood samples will be collected by a trained phlebotomist from the antecubital vein directly into vacutainers with little or no stasis using a 21-gauge needle. Samples will be used to quantify platetlet number and function, fibrinogen, prothrombin and partial thromboplastin time, t-PA and PAI-1 activities and antigen
Time frame: Less than 60 minutes before initiating firefighting activity
Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress markers
CRP,Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, IL-6, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2,8-iso-prostaglandin F2a, soluble P-selectin
Time frame: Less than 60 minutes before initiating firefighting activity
Vascular function
Vascular function will be assessed via pulse wave analysis, pulse wave velocity, carotid artery compliance, beta stiffness index, forearm rsistance artery vasodilatory capacity, and brachial artery blood flow.
Time frame: Less than 60 minutes after completing 20 minutes of firefighting activity
Hemostatic balance
Blood samples will be collected by a trained phlebotomist from the antecubital vein directly into vacutainers with little or no stasis using a 21-gauge needle. Samples will be used to quantify platetlet number and function, fibrinogen, prothrombin and partial thromboplastin time, t-PA and PAI-1 activities and antigen
Time frame: Less than 60 minutes after completing 20 minutes of firefighting activity
Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress markers
CRP,Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, IL-6, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2,8-iso-prostaglandin F2a, soluble P-selectin
Time frame: Less than 60 minutes after completing 20 minutes of firefighting activity
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