NCT06295523

Heat Waves and the Elderly With COPD

Heat Waves and the Elderly With COPD: Reducing Thermal and Cardiovascular Consequences

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 1 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate thermoregulatory responses in older individuals with COPD.

Detailed description

Heat waves are the leading cause of death among natural disasters in the United States. Elderly individuals are disproportionately more likely to become ill or die during heat waves. While the elderly have a reduced ability to regulate their body temperature,8-10 hospitalizations and deaths in this population during heat waves are primarily due to cardiovascular and/or respiratory complications, not solely hyperthermia. While previous research has primarily focused on the thermal and cardiovascular consequences of healthy aging, very little research has focused on the physiological responses to heat exposure in older individuals with chronic disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Notably, epidemiological data suggests that pulmonary complications are a leading cause of heat wave-related hospitalizations in older adults with a diagnosis of COPD, yet nothing is known regarding the physiological mechanisms by which those with COPD are most susceptible to heat waves. To fill this important gap, the investigators will identify the physiological responses that occur in this population, relative to healthy age-matched individuals, during two unique heat wave simulations.

Conditions

• COPD
• Aging
• Hyperthermia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Water Spray	Participants will receive water spraying on their body throughout the climate chamber exposure.
OTHER	Control	Participants will NOT receive water spraying on their body throughout the climate exposure.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-01-01
• Primary completion: 2025-10-01
• Completion: 2025-10-01
• First posted: 2024-03-06
• Last updated: 2025-10-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States