PERIODIC FITNESS EVALUATION WITH OXYGEN UPTAKE MEASUREMENT (PFE-OUM)
Research Area: Human Research: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems
Expedition(s): 13- 16
Principal Investigator(s): ● Filippo Castucci, MD, European Astronaut Centre, Cologne,
Germany
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Periodic Fitness Evaluation
with Oxygen Uptake Measurement
(PFE-OUM) will demonstrate the
capability of crew members to
perform periodic fitness
evaluations (PFE) with continuous
oxygen consumption
measurements within 14 days
after arrival on the International
Space Station, and once monthly
during routine PFEs. Once the
capability of the pulmonary
function system (PFS) to perform
PFEs is verified, crew members
will be able to integrate their
monthly PFE with oxygen
consumption measurements to
fulfill the requirement for cardiovascular fitness evaluations during long-duration spaceflight.
EARTH BENEFITS
Little information is currently available on the effects of long-term exposure to a closed life
control system microgravity environment on aerobic capacity of humans. This information is
important to maintain crew health during long-duration exploration. The data will also provide
valuable insight into the aerobic capacity of teams in closed environments on Earth, such as
arctic bases and submarines.
SPACE BENEFITS
The PFE-OUM measurements will help flight surgeons to better understand the decline in
cardiovascular function that occurs during long-duration stays in microgravity.
RESULTS
Analysis of data from PFE-OUM is ongoing, conclusive results will be published upon completion
of data analysis.
This investigation is complete; however additional results are pending publication.
ISSE01356862 – NASA International Space Station (ISS) Science
Officer Jeff Williams assisting Flight Engineer-2, Thomas Reiter
performing his Periodic Fitness Evaluation with Oxygen Uptake
Measurement on the CEVIS (Spell out CEVIS) during ISS Expedition- NASA image.