Air Travel and Lung Disease: Current Guidelines Are Inappropriate

Patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were studied during a commercial flight. A German team, conducted similar experiments on patients with cystic fibrosis. Both teams concluded that these patients can travel on flights of several hours' duration without excessive risk.

Air transportation can be dangerous for people with lung diseases. Under scrutiny, therefore, is the air pressure on board commercial aircraft, whose passengers are subjected to a virtual altitude of 1,500 to 2,500 metres depending on the length of flight. At such altitudes, the air contains some 30% less oxygen, a matter not to be taken lightly for patients whose blood oxygen level is already precarious because of their respiratory condition.

The same questions apply to CF patients. Therefore, a team from Munich University examined lung function, arterial blood gases and respiratory symptoms in 36 CF sufferers under simulated air travel conditions.

Both studies indicate that there is no automatic reason to forbid such patients the joys of far-flung adventures.

Source: Air Travel and Lung Disease: Current Guidelines Are Inappropriate. European Respiratory Journal), Vol. 25, No 4: 27 Mar 2005.
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