| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Clinical Trial |
The arterial oxygen tensions (Pa,02) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients travelling by air, should, according to two different guidelines, not be lower than 7.3 kPa (55 mmHg) and 6.7 kPa (50 mmHg), respectively, at a cabin pressure altitude of 2,438 m (8,000 ft). These minimum in-flight Pa,O2 values are claimed to correspond to a minimum Pa,O2 of 9.3 kPa (70 mmHg) at sea-level. The authors have tested whether this limit is a safe criterion for predicting severe in-flight hypoxaemia. The authors measured arterial blood gases at sea-level, at 2,438 m and at 3,048 m (10,000 ft) in an altitude chamber at rest and during light exercise in 15 COPD patients with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) <50% of predicted, and with sea-level Pa,O2 >9.3 kPa. Resting Pa,O2 decreased below 7.3 kPa and 6.7 kPa in 53% and 33% of the patients, respectively, at 2,438 m, and in 86% and 66% of the patients at 3,048 m. During light exercise, Pa,O2 dropped below 6.7 kPa in 86% of the patients at 2,438 m, and in 100% of the patients at 3,048 m. There was no correlation between Pa,O2 at 2,438 m and pre-flight values of Pa,O2, FEV1 or transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide. In contrast to current medical guidelines, it has been found that resting arterial oxygen tension >9.3 kPa at sea-level does not exclude development of severe hypoxaemia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients travelling by air. Light exercise, equivalent to slow walking along the aisle, may provoke a pronounced aggravation of the hypoxaemia.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  R. K. Coker, R. Shiner, and M. R. Partridge Is air travel safe for those with lung disease? Eur. Respir. J., November 1, 2008; 32(5): 1423 - 1424. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Marchand Is air travel safe for those with lung disease? Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2008; 31(5): 1137 - 1138. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. J. Dine and M. E. Kreider Hypoxia Altitude Simulation Test Chest, April 1, 2008; 133(4): 1002 - 1005. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. T. Kelly, M. P. Swanney, L. M. Seccombe, C. Frampton, M. J. Peters, and L. Beckert Air Travel Hypoxemia vs the Hypoxia Inhalation Test in Passengers With COPD Chest, April 1, 2008; 133(4): 920 - 926. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. K. Coker, R. J. Shiner, and M. R. Partridge Is air travel safe for those with lung disease? Eur. Respir. J., December 1, 2007; 30(6): 1057 - 1063. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S.E. Martin, J.M. Bradley, J.B. Buick, I. Bradbury, and J.S. Elborn Flight assessment in patients with respiratory disease: hypoxic challenge testing vs. predictive equations QJM, June 1, 2007; 100(6): 361 - 367. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. M. Luks and E. R. Swenson Travel to high altitude with pre-existing lung disease Eur. Respir. J., April 1, 2007; 29(4): 770 - 792. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Pollock-BarZiv, M. M Cohen, G. P Downey, S. R Johnson, E. Sullivan, and F. X McCormack Air travel in women with lymphangioleiomyomatosis Thorax, February 1, 2007; 62(2): 176 - 180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A New Oxygen: kill or cure? Prehospital hyperoxia in the COPD patient Emerg. Med. J., February 1, 2006; 23(2): 144 - 146. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Fischer, S. M. Lang, K. Bruckner, H-X. Hoyer, S. Meyer, M. Griese, and R. M. Huber Lung function in adults with cystic fibrosis at altitude: impact on air travel Eur. Respir. J., April 1, 2005; 25(4): 718 - 724. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Akero, C. C. Christensen, A. Edvardsen, and O. H. Skjonsberg Hypoxaemia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients during a commercial flight Eur. Respir. J., April 1, 2005; 25(4): 725 - 730. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L M Seccombe, P T Kelly, C K Wong, P G Rogers, S Lim, and M J Peters Effect of simulated commercial flight on oxygenation in patients with interstitial lung disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Thorax, November 1, 2004; 59(11): 966 - 970. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B.R. Celli, W. MacNee, A. Agusti, A. Anzueto, B. Berg, A.S. Buist, P.M.A. Calverley, N. Chavannes, T. Dillard, B. Fahy, et al. Standards for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with COPD: a summary of the ATS/ERS position paper Eur. Respir. J., June 1, 2004; 23(6): 932 - 946. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.C. Christensen, M.S. Ryg, O. Kare Refvem, and O. Henning Skjonsberg Effect of hypobaric hypoxia on blood gases in patients with restrictive lung disease Eur. Respir. J., August 1, 2002; 20(2): 300 - 305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Managing passengers with respiratory disease planning air travel: British Thoracic Society recommendations Thorax, April 1, 2002; 57(4): 289 - 304. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Golpe, A. Mateos, A. M. Jones, and B. R. O'Driscoll Supplemental Oxygen During Flexible Bronchoscopy Chest, February 1, 2002; 121(2): 664 - 665. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R Murphy, P Driscoll, and R O'Driscoll Emergency oxygen therapy for the COPD patient Emerg. Med. J., September 1, 2001; 18(5): 333 - 339. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
