NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Airline Chair-rest Deconditioning: Induction of Immobilization Thromboemboli?Air passenger miles will likely double by year 2020. The altered and restrictive environment in an airliner cabin can influence hematological homeostasis in passengers and crew. Flight-related deep various thromboemboli (DVT) have been associated with at least 577 deaths on 42 of 120 airlines from 1977 to 1984 (25 deaths/million departures), whereas many such cases go unreported. However, there are four major factors that could influence formation of possible flight-induced DVT: sleeping accomodations (via sitting immobilization), travelers' medical history (via tissue injury), cabin environmental factors (via lower partial pressure of oxygen and lower relative humidity), and the more encompassing chair-rest deconditioning (C-RD) syndrome. There is ample evidence that recent injury and surgery (especially in deconditioned hospitalized patients) facilitate thrombophlebitis and formation of DVT that may be exacerbated by the immobilization of prolonged air travel. In the healthy flying population immobilization factors associated with prolonged (> 5 hr) C-RID such as total body dehydration, hypovolemia and increased blood viscosity, and reduced various blood flow (pooling) in the legs may facilitate formation of DVT. However, data from at least four case-controlled epidemiological studies did not confirm a direct causative relationship between air travel and DART, but factors such as history of vascular thromboemboli, various insufficiency, chronic heart failure, obesity, immobile standing position, more than 3 pregnancies, infectious disease, long-distance travel, muscular trauma and violent physical effort were significantly more frequent in DVT patients than in controls. Thus, there is no clear, direct evidence yet that prolonged sitting in airliner seats, or prolonged experimental chair-rest- or bed- rest-deconditioning treatments cause deep various thromboemboli in healthy people.
Document ID
20020064473
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Greenleaf, J. E.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Rehrer, N. J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Mohler, S. R.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Quach, D. T.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Evans, D. G.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Dalton, Bonnie P.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available