Upper Respiratory Infections and Barotrauma Among Commercial Pilots

作者：Boel Nina Monrad; Klokker Mads^*

来源：Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, 2017, 88(1): 17-22.

DOI：10.3357/AMHP.4511.2017

• aviation
• barotitis
• barosinusitis
• ear
• sinus
• occupational health
• sudden incapacitation
• flight safety

BACKGROUND: Health incapacitation is a serious threat to flight safety. Therefore, a study conducted 10 yr ago examined the incidents of ear-nose-throat (ENT) barotrauma and upper respiratory infection (URI) among commercial pilots and found that a large number continued to carry out their duties despite the risk of incapacitation. Now, 10 yr later, this new study examines if the attention to URIs has improved.
METHOD: This study was conducted at the Danish Aeromedical Centre over the course of 1 yr with 463 valid respondents to a questionnaire on URIs and ENT barotrauma. These respondents were compared to 940 respondents answering the same questionnaire 10 yr prior in the same setting.
RESULTS: This study shows a significant increase in the number of pilots flying despite signs of an URI from 42.8 to 50.1% and in the number of pilots using decongestant medicine from 43.3 to 59.5%.The proportion of pilots experiencing one or more ENT barotraumas has also increased from 37.4 to 55.5% for barotitis media and from 19.5 to 27.9% for barosinusitis.
CONCLUSION: Half of all pilots in this study fly despite signs of an URI. This is a significant increase and shows that after 10 yr an URI is still not considered a valid reason for reporting in sick despite international aeromedical recommendation. Based on these findings, the study recommends that awareness of the risk of flying with an URI be increased.

• 出版日期2017-1