Cardiovascular health monitoring during deep space missions. Cardiopsy in Mars500.

ANDRÉ E. AUBERT; EVGENY BERSENEV; OMER VAN DEN BERGH; P. ARBEILLE; C. BRANDT; F. TUERLINCKX; DANIEL E. VIGO; B. MORUKOV

Moscú

Conferencia; XIV Conference on Space Biology and Aerospace Medicine with international participation dedicated to the IBMP 50th anniversary.; 2013

Weightlessness induces cardiovascular deconditioning and alterations in autonomic cardiovascular control. Moreover,confinement for a long period of a crew into narrow quarters, as during the Mars500 simulation, could elicit psychological and emotional stress, again further altering cardiovascular function and decreasing quality of life. The last concept is inherently subjective but should be assessed on the basis of several components such as physical condition, psychological well being and everyday activity. The project: ?Cardiopsy? aimed 1. to isolate the effect of confinement and isolation on the changes in mood and behavior of the crew and to correlate these fluctuations with changes in autonomic cardiac modulation using 24-hour Holter recordings; 2. to investigate whether confinement and isolation is associated with sleep changes, possibly related to changes in mood and autonomic alterations; 3. to assess changes of the cardiac sympathovagal balance, including cardiopulmonary function; 4. to assess cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary function using methods of telemedicine/cardiology. To this end computer questionnaires were used to assess mood alterations. 24 hour Holter recording were obtained to assess circadian rhythm and sleep alterations. Short duration ECG and noninvasive blood pressure recordings were measured during ECOSUN. Heart rate variability and blood pressure variability were obtained from spectral analysis and baroreflex and synchronization of cardio respiratory coupling determined. A final aspect consisted of applications of telemedicine: tele-echocardiography and tele-auscultation both allowed a powerful, non invasive follow-up of cardiac function during Mars500 and gave some insight in heart mechanics (vascular dimensions) and hemodynamics (heart sounds). This integrated approach studying ventilatory, cardiovascular, autonomic control and psychological aspects related to confinement and isolation of a crew in small quarters for a long period is proposed as a standard for future deep-space missions. It allows in situ real time monitoring of cardiovascular function as well as communication using tele-medicine, all with non-invasive techniques and minimal effort from the crew.