Document Detail


Laboratory assessment of fitness to fly in patients with lung disease: a practical approach.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  10968494     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
To identify patients with respiratory disease, who may be at risk of developing respiratory distress during commercial air travel, a hypoxia inhalation test (HIT) can be performed. This paper reports our experience of using such a test combined with an interpretation algorithm in a routine respiratory function laboratory. Twenty-eight patients were studied. Baseline oxygen saturation (Sa,O2) was measured using a pulse oximeter. If Sa,O2 was < 90% no HIT was performed and the patient was assessed as unfit for air travel. If baseline Sa,O2 was > or = 90% an HIT was performed by the patient breathing through a 35% Venturi mask supplied with 100% nitrogen which reduced inspiratory oxygen fraction to 15.1+/-0.2%. Results were interpreted using a locally derived algorithm, and validation was attempted using a questionnaire to investigate subsequent symptoms during travel. All patients tolerated the assessment well. Twenty-two patients were assessed as "fit to fly" with a further two patients "fit to fly with supplemental O2". Four patients were considered unfit to fly. Hypoxic response could not be predicted from either forced expiratory volume in one second, or pretest saturation. Validation of such protocols is difficult, but the hypoxia inhalation test may be a useful tool for predicting hypoxia during air travel in patients with chronic respiratory disease.
Authors:
A G Robson; T K Hartung; J A Innes
Related Documents :
1302224 - Domiciliary mechanical ventilation in a patient with severe chronic obstructive lung di...
18685924 - Factors predicting successful noninvasive ventilation in acute lung injury.
9616534 - Haemodynamic response during initiation of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation i...
8986494 - Long-term management of acute respiratory failure in metabolic myopathy.
3092344 - Results of short- and long-term cimetidine treatment in patients with juxtapyloric ulce...
3109524 - Immunologic aberrations, hiv seropositivity and seroconversion rates in patients with h...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Validation Studies    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The European respiratory journal : official journal of the European Society for Clinical Respiratory Physiology     Volume:  16     ISSN:  0903-1936     ISO Abbreviation:  Eur. Respir. J.     Publication Date:  2000 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2000-12-04     Completed Date:  2000-12-14     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8803460     Medline TA:  Eur Respir J     Country:  DENMARK    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  214-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Respiratory Function Laboratory, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aerospace Medicine / methods*
Aircraft*
Anoxia / etiology
Forced Expiratory Volume
Forecasting
Humans
Laboratory Techniques and Procedures
Lung Diseases / complications,  diagnosis,  physiopathology*
Oximetry
Oxygen / blood
Physical Fitness*
Questionnaires
Travel*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
7782-44-7/Oxygen
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Eur Respir J. 2000 Aug;16(2):197-9   [PMID:  10968490 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Defaulting from tuberculosis treatment in The Netherlands: rates, risk factors and trend in the peri...
Next Document:  Changes in peak expiratory flow indices as a proxy for changes in bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Dut...