October 28, 2004

Sally Harrington
Media Relations Office
216/433-2037
Sally Harrington@nasa.gov

Luzon Thomas
MetroHealth
216/778-2541
lhthomas@metrohealth.org

RELEASE: 04-080

NASA TEAMS WITH METROHEALTH TO DETECT CARDIAC

ARRHYTHMIAS IN ASTRONAUTS

With NASA looking toward extending missions to further explore space,

the NASA Glenn Research Center has partnered with MetroHealth Medical
Center in Cleveland to develop a method of measuring whether
astronauts are more susceptible to serious cardiac episodes the
longer they are in space. Ultimately, NASA expects the venture will
enhance its ability to monitor astronauts' in-flight arrhythmic
activity from the ground in real time -- via the Internet -- using
NASA's Embedded Web Technology.

Through the John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium, NASA teamed

with MetroHealth to determine a method for assessing the heart's
condition during zero and partial gravity conditions like those found
on the Moon and Mars.

"NASA is responsible for the health and safety of astronauts in

space," said David York, chief engineer for Glenn's Flight Software
Branch. "We are extremely pleased to be working with Dr. David
Rosenbaum, director of MetroHealth's Heart & Vascular Center and
Division of Cardiologoy. His internationally renowned expertise in
the recognition and prevention of cardiovascular disease is an
excellent match for this research."
MetroHealth is basing its research on an advanced electrocardiogram
(EKG) test that uses technology pioneered at the center to screen for
T-wave Alternans (TWAs) or slight disturbances or changes in the
heart's rhythm during a specialized exercise stress test.

These subtle, yet virtually invisible changes in the heart's

electrical conduction pattern appear on an EKG of someone at risk for
cardiac arrhythmias that can lead to sudden cardiac death (SCD), the
most common cause of death in the United States, annually claiming
the lives of more than 300,000 Americans.

The key to detecting these microscopic disturbances lies in computer

software designed to amplify TWA patterns and make it easier for
MetroHealth to detect who is at risk.

"Heart disease is so prevalent that if enough individuals go into

space for long periods of time, then sooner or later heart problems
are likely to become apparent," said David Rosenbaum, M.D. "T-wave
Alternans are a high marker for susceptibility to the risk of cardiac
arrhythmias, found in 70 to 80 percent of patients at risk. And,
since there is clearly evidence indicating that astronauts and
cosmonauts have experienced arrhythmias as a part of space flight,
the idea with NASA was to use this technology for detecting these
micro signals as a means of determining how space flight affects the
heart, particularly with regard to how microgravity and
weightlessness enhance the heart's electrical instability," he added.

The noninvasive exam was the focus of four weeks of testing performed
between May and October involving ground and in-flight measures taken
on 15 test subjects using the same computer technology and exercise
test. Testing on the ground, in a controlled environment, was done to
identify any problems before testing in flight. MetroHealth relied on
NASA' KC-135 aircraft to simulate the effects of weightlessness and
zero gravity on test subjects in space. The KC-135 is used by NASA to
train astronauts and prepare them for weightlessness experienced in
orbit.
MetroHealth was able to gauge the effects of weightlessness in test
subjects while the plane conducted a series of severe climbs and
descents, called parabolas, which were strung together in a wave-like
configuration. At the peak of each parabola, of which 45 were
conducted during each flight in a restricted air space over Lake
Michigan or Lake Ontario, subjects experienced approximately 20
seconds of weightlessness and zero gravity.

During the tests, subjects pedaled a stationary bicycle for up to 15

minutes while being hooked up to a 14-lead EKG to gauge their heart
rate at rest, during moderate and rigorous exercise, and during
recovery. Leads from the EKG were attached to a computer and
electrodes placed on the chest and back. Seven of the electrodes on
the EKG were specially designed to allow scientists to distinguish
cardiac electrical activity from other electrical signals coming from
the body. Data from the testing was acquired through a compact unit
inside a holster worn by each test subject on the ground and in
flight.

NASA and MetroHealth plan to use the data to analyze whether long-term
flight does in fact impact the heart.

NASA's ultimate goal is to couple TWA technology on the International

Space Station with its embedded web system to track astronaut heart
activity remotely -- in real time -- by using an Internet browser. By
simply typing in the astronaut's name, much like you would an address
for an Internet search engine, an astronaut's live heartbeat pattern
could be monitored and tracked.

"This would allow one astronaut on the Space Station to view another
astronaut's EKG during exercise. And at the same time, using the
Embedded Web Technology, the data would be transmitted to the ground,
where the flight surgeons could observe the same EKG in real time,"
York said. "This would enhance our ability to recognize a problem as
early as possible to provide proper treatment."
The research is part of a multi-phase initiative implemented by NASA
and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) to
design and test countermeasures and medical support technologies that
maximize human performance in space, reduce biomedical hazards and
support medical care.

The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center is one of NASA's 10 field

centers, empowered with the resources for developing cutting-edge
technologies and advancing scientific research that strives to
further expand our knowledge of Earth and the universe. Founded in
1941 as part of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics,
today the Center is responsible for developing and transferring
critical technologies that address national priorities in
aeropropulsion and space applications. Working in partnership with
government, industry and academia, NASA Glenn serves to maintain the
U.S. economy's global leadership while benefiting the lives of people
around the world. For information about Glenn and NASA programs on
the Internet, visit: http://www.grc.nasa.gov

MetroHealth is a 731-bed teaching facility, which offers a full range

of healthcare services at 13 sites throughout Greater Cleveland and a
unique approach to treating patients focusing on the individual. With
its commitment to research, medical education and community service,
MetroHealth is able to provide the best care to each patient. In
addition to the Heart & Vascular Research Center, services include a
Level 1 trauma center, comprehensive cancer care, high-risk
obstetrics care, neonatal intensive care, women's health, pediatrics,
medical and surgical subspecialties, family health, internal
medicine, mental health, rehabilitation, long-term care, and
community health. For more information, visit us at
http://www.metrohealth.org

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