Bendrick G A, Nicolas D K, Krause B A, Castillo C Y
U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, TX.
Aviat Space Environ Med. 1995 Jan;66(1):40-4.
Past studies have shown that patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may experience oxygen desaturation at the cabin altitudes of pressurized aircraft. Because COPD can be associated in varying degrees with ischemic heart disease (IHD), and because the consequences of hypoxia in such patients can be significant, the ground and altitude pulse oximeter readings of 24 ambulatory aeromedical evacuation patients with known or suspected IHD were recorded. Written, informed consent, as well as smoking history and respiratory spirometry were obtained preflight. Results showed a mean saturation decrease of 5.5 percentage points (95% CI: 4.5-6.4). The mean cabin altitude was 6900 ft (range: 2500-8100). No patients experienced clinical symptoms. Of 24 patients, 3 were given supplemental oxygen when their inflight oximetry readings consistently read below 90%. Saturation decrease did not correlate specifically with age, smoking history, the FEV1/FVC ratio, or the inflight cabin altitude. We conclude that ambulatory aeromedical evacuation patients with known or suspected IHD may demonstrate mild decreases in oxygen saturation which are not readily predicted by age, smoking history, pre-flight spirometry, or inflight cabin altitude. Pulse oximetry compatible with aircraft electrical systems may provide useful inflight monitoring on such patients.
过去的研究表明，患有严重慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）的患者在加压飞机的机舱高度可能会出现氧饱和度下降。由于COPD可能在不同程度上与缺血性心脏病（IHD）相关，并且由于此类患者缺氧的后果可能很严重，因此记录了24名已知或疑似患有IHD的非卧床航空医疗后送患者的地面和高空脉搏血氧饱和度读数。飞行前获得了书面知情同意书，以及吸烟史和呼吸肺量测定结果。结果显示平均饱和度下降5.5个百分点（95%置信区间：4.5 - 6.4）。平均机舱高度为6900英尺（范围：2500 - 8100英尺）。没有患者出现临床症状。在24名患者中，3名患者在飞行中血氧饱和度读数持续低于90%时接受了补充氧气。饱和度下降与年龄、吸烟史、FEV1/FVC比值或飞行中的机舱高度没有特定相关性。我们得出结论，已知或疑似患有IHD的非卧床航空医疗后送患者可能会出现轻度的氧饱和度下降，而年龄、吸烟史、飞行前肺量测定或飞行中的机舱高度并不能轻易预测这种下降。与飞机电气系统兼容的脉搏血氧饱和度测定可能为此类患者提供有用的飞行监测。
