Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 44, Issue 3 450-454, Copyright © 1978 by American Physiological Society
Pulse rate-rectal temperature relationships during prolonged work
K. V. Kuhlemeier and J. M. Miller
Forty-six industrial workers performed a total of 653 1-h work bouts over a
wide range of work rates )142-273 W/m2) and environmental temperatures
(11-35 degrees C corrected effective temperature) in the summer and winter
seasons. Simultaneous measurements of heart rates and rectal temperatures
were made at the end of each work period, and the relationship between
heart rate and rectal temperature was computed with standard multiple
linear regression techniques. The overall regression equation is: heart
rate (beats/min) = 29.3 (beats/min. degrees C) x rectal temperature
(degrees C) - 988.6 (beats/min). The relationship is significantly altered
by work rate and job- and season-acquired acclimatization of the subjects.
These data suggest that the average heart rates of industrial workers
during prolonged work can be predicted from rectal temperatures with a
reasonable degree of confidence if the degree of acclimatization and work
rates are known. For a rectal temperature of 38.0 degrees C the expected
heart rate during prolonged work ranges from 109 beats/min in acclimatized
men working at low rates to 143 for unacclimatized men working at heavy
rates.
