Abstract 9463: Effects of Surgical and FFP2 Masks on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Capacity in Patients With Heart Failure

Introduction: Surgical and FFP2 masks are recommended to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The cardiopulmonary effects of facemasks in patients with chronic heart failure are unknown. This prospective, cross-over study quantified the effects of wearing no mask (nm), surgical mask (sm), and FFP2 mask (ffpm) in 12 patients with clinically stable chronic heart failure (HF) (age 63.8±12 years, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 43.8±11 %, NTProBNP 573±567 pg/ml). Methods: The patients underwent spiroergometry with and without masks in a randomized sequence. Comfort/discomfort was assessed using a standardized questionnaire. Results: Maximum power was reduced with both types of masks (nm: 108.3 W vs. sm: 101.2 W vs. ffpm: 95.6 W, p Conclusion: Both surgical and FFP masks reduce exercise capacity in heart failure patients, while FFP2 masks reduce oxygen uptake and peak ventilation.