Comparative Evaluation of the Thermal Protection Provided by Submarine Rescue Suits: Half Suit Versus Full Suit

NCT06992050 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1895 - 2018
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluated the thermal and functional performance of full-body versus half-body Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment (SEIE) suits during cold water immersion (\~16.5°C) and raft sitting. Twenty submariners were divided into two groups.

Conditions

Cold Exposure, Hypothermia, Thermal Insulation, Immersion Suits, Submarine Evacuation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Core temperature

  Core temp. measured with telemetric pills

  two hours

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Subjective cold sensation -

  two hours

Study Arms (2)

Full Suit Group

Participants wearing full-body Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment (SEIE) suits

Device: Submariner suit

Half Suit Group

Participants wearing half-body Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment (SEIE) suits

Device: Submariner suit

Interventions

Submariner suit DEVICE

Participants wearing full-body Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment (SEIE) suits

Full Suit Group; Half Suit Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: self-representattion
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of healthy, active-duty male submariners from the Israeli Navy, aged 20 to 25 years. All participants were volunteers with no prior acclimatization to cold water or cold environments. Each participant underwent a medical screening by a qualified physician to confirm eligibility and provided written informed consent prior to participation. The cohort was selected to represent operationally relevant individuals likely to utilize Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment (SEIE) suits in real-world scenarios.

You may qualify if:

• Healthy active-duty submariners
• Male participants aged 20-25 years
• No history of cardiovascular, respiratory, or neurological disorders
• Not acclimatized to cold environments or cold water exposure
• Provided written informed consent
• Medically cleared for cold water immersion by a physician prior to participation -

You may not qualify if:

• History of cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, neurological, or musculoskeletal disorders
• Regular exposure to cold environments or cold water (cold-acclimatized individuals)
• Use of medications that could affect thermoregulation or neuromuscular function
• Any skin conditions that may be aggravated by cold water immersion
• Inability to provide informed consent
• Failure to pass pre-exposure medical examination by a study physician

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Medical Corps, Israel Defense Force: lead

Study Sites (1)

Israel Naval Medical Institute

Haifa, 3109601, Israel

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hypothermia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Body Temperature Changes; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Oren GABAY, MD

  ISRAEL NAVAL MEDICAL INSTITUTE

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PHD

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 19, 2025
• First Posted: May 28, 2025
• Study Start: March 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2024
• Study Completion: December 1, 2024
• Last Updated: May 28, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IL (1)