Economy class syndrome

Economy class syndrome

Economy class syndrome is the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis in air travelers.cite journal |author=Philbrick JT, Shumate R, Siadaty MS, Becker DM |title=Air travel and venous thromboembolism: a systematic review |journal=Journal of general internal medicine : official journal of the Society for Research and Education in Primary Care Internal Medicine |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=107–14 |year=2007 |pmid=17351849 |doi=10.1007/s11606-006-0016-0] The term was first coined in the late 1980s [Cruickshank JM, Gorlin R, Jennett B. Air travel and thrombotic episodes: the economy class syndrome. "Lancet 1988;2(8609):497-8. PMID 2900413.] when it turned out that people who had traveled long distances by airplane were at an increased risk for thrombosis, especially deep venous thrombosis and its main complication, pulmonary embolism. Although all these diseases had been recognised for a long time, the possibility of litigation against airline companies brought them into the limelight when this "syndrome" was reported.

Cause

The mechanism for thrombosis in travellers is probably due to a combination of immobilisation, dehydration and underlying factors. Additional environmental factors during air travel may possibly include reduced or sudden decrease in atmospheric pressure with consequent desaturation. cite journal |author=Bendz B, Rostrup M, Sevre K, Andersen TO, Sandset PM |title=Association between acute hypobaric hypoxia and activation of coagulation in human beings |journal=Lancet |volume=356 |issue=9242 |pages=1657–8 |year=2000 |pmid=11089830 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(00)03165-2] [http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijpm/vol3n2/aero2.xml] Patients with disease that predisposes them for thrombosis, such as antiphospholipid syndrome or cancer, are probably at a much greater risk. The highest risk groups include the elderly, pregnant women, those suffering serious medical conditions such as cancer and those with recent orthopedic surgery (legs or knees).Fact|date=April 2007

Prevention

Prevention consists of adequate hydration(drinking, abstaining from alcoholic beverages and caffeine), moving around and calf muscle exercises. In patients with a known predisposition for thrombosis, aspirin is often prescribed, as this acts as a mild anticoagulant. Severe risk for thrombosis can prompt a physician to prescribe injections with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), a form of prophylaxis already in common use in hospital patients.

There is clinical evidence to suggest that wearing compression socks whilst traveling also reduces the incidence of thrombosis in people on long haul flights. A randomised study in 2001 compared two sets of long haul airline passengers over the age of 50; one set wore MediUK mediven travel compression hosiery the other did not. The passengers were all scanned and blood tested to check for the incidence of DVT. The results showed that asymptomatic DVT occurred in 10% of the passengers who did not wear compression socks, whilst the group wearing compression had no DVTs. The authors concluded that wearing elastic compression hosiery reduces the incidence of DVT in long haul airline passengers. However it is worth noting that an "asymptomatic" DVT incidence of 10% is much higher than expected (alternatively estimated at less than 0.25% cite journal |author=Hirsh J, O'Donnell MJ |title=Venous thromboembolism after long flights: are airlines to blame? |journal=Lancet |volume=357 |issue=9267 |pages=1461-2 |year=2001 |pmid=11377591] ) and wearing compression stocking was also associated with "symptomatic" superficial thrombophlebitis in 4%. cite journal |author=Scurr JH, Machin SJ, Bailey-King S, Mackie IJ, McDonald S, Smith PD |title=Frequency and prevention of symptomless deep-vein thrombosis in long-haul flights: a randomised trial |journal=Lancet |volume=357 |issue=9267 |pages=1485–9 |year=2001 |pmid=11377600|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(00)04645-6]

ee also

* Deep vein thrombosis

References

External links

* [http://www.mediuk-travel.co.uk/clinical_evidence.html mediUK travel clinical evidence]
* [http://www.varda.org Victims of Air Related DVT Association] (UK)


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • economy class syndrome — UK US noun [uncountable] informal deep vein thrombosis Thesaurus: specific medical conditionshyponym general words for illnesses, diseases and medical conditionssynonym * * * eˈconomy class syndrome 7 [economy class syndrome …   Useful english dictionary

  • economy-class syndrome — noun An informal name for ↑deep vein thrombosis (see under ↑deep) • • • Main Entry: ↑economy …   Useful english dictionary

  • Economy class syndrome — The formation of blood clots in veins deep within the legs deep vein thrombosis occurring during (or just after) a long airplane flight, especially in economy class (tourist class) where there is the least space allotted per passenger and ones… …   Medical dictionary

  • economy class syndrome — (i.CON.uh.mee clas sin.drum, drohm) n. A form of phlebitis in which a blood clot forms in the lower leg after prolonged immobility in a cramped space. Example Citation: In fact, phlebitis is quite common, the result of immobility because of an… …   New words

  • economy-class syndrome — N UNCOUNT Economy class syndrome is a serious medical condition caused by blood clots in the legs moving up to the lungs; used especially in connection with long haul flights. Lemon juice can help to prevent economy class syndrome by improving… …   English dictionary

  • economy class syndrome — e conomy class .syndrome n [U] BrE a serious illness in which people get blood ↑clots because they have been sitting for a long time in a very small space on a plane →↑DVT …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • economy class syndrome — e conomy class ,syndrome noun uncount INFORMAL DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • economy class syndrome — noun Colloquial deep vein thrombosis resulting from immobility during a long flight in an aeroplane. {from the comparative lack of space available to stretch one s legs when travelling economy class, a factor thought to increase the risk of… …  

  • economy class syndrome — noun deep vein thrombosis …   Wiktionary

  • economy class syndrome — n. (Medicine) deep vein thrombosis, blood clotting deep within the legs that may occur during long air travel …   English contemporary dictionary

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