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Thomas A. Dillard, MD; William A. Beninati, MD; Benjamin W. Berg, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1991;151(9):1793-1795.

Abstract
Air travel exposes patients with chronic obstructive pul monary disease to the risk of severe hypoxemia. We sought to determine the frequency and outcome of airline travel in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A co hort of 100 patients (76 men and 24 women; age 67 +- 7 years [mean +-SD]) with severe chronic pulmonary obstructive disease examined by means of spirometry (forced expira tory volume in the first second, 0.94+-0.35 L), all military retirees, or their dependents, comprised the study popula tion. Forty-four patients traveled by commercial air carrier over a 28-month interval, giving an annual frequency of 18.9% of these patients per year. The group that did not travel by air (n = 56) had a lower mean value for forced expiratory volume in the first second and greater prevalence of home oxygen use than did the group that did travel by air. Twelve of the travelers (27.3%) consulted a physician beforehand. Flights reached foreign destinations for 22.7% of patients. The median duration of the longest flight segment was 3 hours. A minority of patients (34.3%) occu pied seats in the smoking sections of aircraft. A majority (56.8 %) ambulated aboard the aircraft during flights. Eight patients (18.2 %) reported transient symptoms during air travel. We conclude that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease travel with appreciable frequency, often without medical consultation, and develop symptoms in some cases.

(Arch Intern Med. 1991;151:1793-1795)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Medicine and Clinical Investigation, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC (Drs Dillard and Berg); and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md (Drs Dillard, Beninati, and Berg). Dr Ben inati is currently with the Department of Medicine, Wilford Hall Air Force Hospital, San Antonio, Tex.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication February 26, 1991.

The opinions contained herein represent solely the views of the authors and are not to be construed as representing the views of the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, or the De partment of the Air Force.

Reprint requests to Pulmonary Function Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC 20307-5001 (Dr Dillard).

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