The influence of N95 and surgical masks on carbon dioxide levels: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the impact of wearing N95 and surgical masks on carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations during various activity levels, to understand the implications for mask use in different settings, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study design

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted, retrieving 6798 articles from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Twenty-nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Mask types were categorized into N95 and surgical masks, while activities were classified as low, medium, and high.

Results

The meta-analysis revealed CO₂ concentrations (mmHg) for different scenarios: No mask (37.91, 95 % CI: 36.46, 39.35), N95-low (36.83, 95 % C

SUBMITTER: Nassri M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11386028 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature