G Tolerance Prediction Model Using Mobile Device-Measured Cardiac Force Index for Military Aircrew: Observational Study

Abstract

Background: During flight, G force compels blood to stay in leg muscles and reduces blood flow to the heart. Cardiovascular responses activated by the autonomic nerve system and strengthened by anti-G straining maneuvers can alleviate the challenges faced during G loading. To our knowledge, no definite cardiac information measured using a mobile health device exists for analyzing G tolerance. However, our previous study developed the cardiac force index (CFI) for analyzing the G tolerance of military aircrew.

Objective: This study used the CFI to verify participants' cardiac performance when walking and obtained a formula for predicting an individual's G tolerance during centrifuge training.

Methods: Participants from an air force aircrew undertook high-G training from January 2020 to December 2022. Their heart rate (HR) in beats per minute and activity level per second were recorded using the wearable BioHarness 3.0 device. The CFI was computed using the following formula: weight × activity / HR during resting or walking. Relaxed G tolerance (RGT) and straining G tolerance (SGT) were assessed at a slowly increasing rate of G loading (0.1 G/s) during training. Other demographic factors were included in the multivariate regression to generate a model for predicting G tolerance from the CFI.

Results: A total of 213 eligible trainees from a military aircrew were recruited. The average age was 25.61 (SD 3.66) years, and 13.1% (28/213) of the participants were women. The mean resting CFI and walking CFI (WCFI) were 0.016 (SD 0.001) and 0.141 (SD 0.037) kg × G/beats per minute, respectively. The models for predicting RGT and SGT were as follows: RGT = 0.066 × age + 0.043 × (WCFI × 100) - 0.037 × height + 0.015 × systolic blood pressure - 0.010 × HR + 7.724 and SGT = 0.103 × (WCFI × 100) - 0.069 × height + 0.018 × systolic blood pressure + 15.899. Thus, the WCFI is a positive factor for predicting the RGT and SGT before centrifuge training.

Conclusions: The WCFI is a vital component of the formula for estimating G tolerance prior to training. The WCFI can be used to monitor physiological conditions against G stress.

Keywords: G force; G tolerance; anti-G straining maneuver; anti-G suit; baroreflex; cardiac force index; cardiac force ratio; relaxed G tolerance; straining G tolerance.