BACKGROUND: Despite fears of compromised oxygen delivery in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome during flight on commercial aircraft, a clinical study has shown no adverse effects, and many patients travel frequently. METHODS: The air travel history over the past decade of 53 patients with Eisenmenger syndrome and 48 acyanotic patients was obtained. Patients listed all flights and destinations, and any major adverse event or symptoms, including, specifically, headache, palpitations, oedema or need for supplemental oxygen. For the patients with Eisenmenger syndrome, a full blood count, 6-minute walk test and p50 of the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve were also obtained. RESULTS: 1157 flights were reported evenly between the two groups. Thirteen patients with Eisenmenger syndrome reported no travel in the past 10 years (vs 4/48 acyanotic patients, p = 0.03), six of whom were told not to fly by healthcare providers. Of those who flew, the number and distance of flights was similar in both groups. No major adverse events were reported. One patient with Eisenmenger syndrome possibly had a transient ischaemic attack and a second patient needed supplemental oxygen when exposed to ambient cigarette smoke in flight. Other symptoms such as headache, palpitations and lower extremity oedema at the travel destination were reported with similar frequency in both groups. Patients with Eisenmenger syndrome had a raised p50 of the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve (mean (SD) 29.4 (2.6) mm Hg vs 27 (3) mm Hg in laboratory controls, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Eisenmenger syndrome report travelling frequently and safely on commercial airlines. Shifts in the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve are likely to attenuate the effects of low oxygen tension. Patients with Eisenmenger syndrome should, nevertheless, be advised to avoid inactivity and dehydration as usual, but there is no justification for limiting air travel.
BACKGROUND: Despite fears of compromised oxygen delivery in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome during flight on commercial aircraft, a clinical study has shown no adverse effects, and many patients travel frequently. METHODS: The air travel history over the past decade of 53 patients with Eisenmenger syndrome and 48 acyanotic patients was obtained. Patients listed all flights and destinations, and any major adverse event or symptoms, including, specifically, headache, palpitations, oedema or need for supplemental oxygen. For the patients with Eisenmenger syndrome, a full blood count, 6-minute walk test and p50 of the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve were also obtained. RESULTS: 1157 flights were reported evenly between the two groups. Thirteen patients with Eisenmenger syndrome reported no travel in the past 10 years (vs 4/48 acyanotic patients, p = 0.03), six of whom were told not to fly by healthcare providers. Of those who flew, the number and distance of flights was similar in both groups. No major adverse events were reported. One patient with Eisenmenger syndrome possibly had a transient ischaemic attack and a second patient needed supplemental oxygen when exposed to ambient cigarette smoke in flight. Other symptoms such as headache, palpitations and lower extremity oedema at the travel destination were reported with similar frequency in both groups. Patients with Eisenmenger syndrome had a raised p50 of the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve (mean (SD) 29.4 (2.6) mm Hg vs 27 (3) mm Hg in laboratory controls, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:Patients with Eisenmenger syndrome report travelling frequently and safely on commercial airlines. Shifts in the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve are likely to attenuate the effects of low oxygen tension. Patients with Eisenmenger syndrome should, nevertheless, be advised to avoid inactivity and dehydration as usual, but there is no justification for limiting air travel.
Authors: Maria Rosaria Cesarone; Gianni Belcaro; Andrew N Nicolaides; Lucrezia Incandela; SanctisMariaTeresa De; George Geroulakos; Andrew Lennox; Kenneth A Myers; M Moia; Edmondo Ippolito; Michelle Winford Journal: Angiology Date: 2002 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 3.619
Authors: Ida Martinelli; Emanuela Taioli; Tullia Battaglioli; Gian Marco Podda; Serena Maria Passamonti; Paola Pedotti; Pier Mannuccio Mannucci Journal: Arch Intern Med Date: 2003 Dec 8-22
Authors: Thomas Schwarz; Gabriele Siegert; Wolfram Oettler; Kai Halbritter; Jan Beyer; Roswitha Frommhold; Siegmund Gehrisch; Florian Lenz; Eberhard Kuhlisch; Hans-Egbert Schroeder; Sebastian M Schellong Journal: Arch Intern Med Date: 2003 Dec 8-22
Authors: E Harinck; P A Hutter; T M Hoorntje; M Simons; A A Benatar; J C Fischer; D de Bruijn; E J Meijboom Journal: Circulation Date: 1996-01-15 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Jeffrey A Feinstein; D Woodrow Benson; Anne M Dubin; Meryl S Cohen; Dawn M Maxey; William T Mahle; Elfriede Pahl; Juan Villafañe; Ami B Bhatt; Lynn F Peng; Beth Ann Johnson; Alison L Marsden; Curt J Daniels; Nancy A Rudd; Christopher A Caldarone; Kathleen A Mussatto; David L Morales; D Dunbar Ivy; J William Gaynor; James S Tweddell; Barbara J Deal; Anke K Furck; Geoffrey L Rosenthal; Richard G Ohye; Nancy S Ghanayem; John P Cheatham; Wayne Tworetzky; Gerard R Martin Journal: J Am Coll Cardiol Date: 2012-01-03 Impact factor: 24.094
Authors: Harald Kaemmerer; Siegrun Mebus; Ingram Schulze-Neick; Andreas Eicken; Pedro T Trindade; Alfred Hager; Erwin Oechslin; Koichiro Niwa; Irene Lang; John Hess Journal: Curr Cardiol Rev Date: 2010-11
Authors: Erwin Oechslin; Siegrun Mebus; Ingram Schulze-Neick; Koichiro Niwa; Pedro T Trindade; Andreas Eicken; Alfred Hager; Irene Lang; John Hess; Harald Kaemmerer Journal: Curr Cardiol Rev Date: 2010-11
Authors: Gianfranco Parati; Piergiuseppe Agostoni; Buddha Basnyat; Grzegorz Bilo; Hermann Brugger; Antonio Coca; Luigi Festi; Guido Giardini; Alessandra Lironcurti; Andrew M Luks; Marco Maggiorini; Pietro A Modesti; Erik R Swenson; Bryan Williams; Peter Bärtsch; Camilla Torlasco Journal: Eur Heart J Date: 2018-05-01 Impact factor: 29.983