许多飞机乘客在飞行途中血氧下降

根据2005年5月出版的《麻醉学》的研究：超过一半的乘坐飞机旅行的乘客血氧饱和度下降到一定水平，在该水平许多住院患者必须接受额外的氧气。

在该项研究中，涉及了84位从1岁~78岁的旅客，由麻醉医生检测了他们在地面和飞机巡航高度的血氧饱和度。在地面为97%而在空中下降为93%。

皇家集团医院麻醉专家注册主任Susan Humphreys医生指出：“我们相信这种下降的氧气水平，合并诸如脱水、活动减少以及湿度较低，能够导致飞行途中和飞行结束后疾病的发生。”

55位乘客长途飞行超过2小时，其余29位乘客是短途飞行。从这两组人群中得到的检测结果类似。这些受试者都没有严重的心肺疾病。

Humphreys医生说：“54%的受试者血氧在最大高度都小于94%，早期研究结果提示：如果住院患者处于这个水平，有1/3的医生会让患者吸氧。”
 
Oxygen Too Low for Some Air Passengers
 
More than half of people traveling on airplanes have their oxygen saturation drop to a level at which many hospital patients would be prescribed extra oxygen, according to a study published in the May 2005 issue of Anesthesia.

In the study, 84 passengers, aged one to 78, had their oxygen saturation levels measured by anesthesiologists on the ground and at cruising altitude. While ground levels averaged 97%, these levels fell to an average of 93% at high altitude.

“We believe that these falling oxygen levels, together with factors such as dehydration, immobility, and low humidity could contribute to illness during and after flights,” noted Dr. Susan Humphreys, anesthetic specialist registrar of The Royal Group of Hospitals (Belfast, N. Ireland).

Fifty-five passengers were on long flights that lasted for more than two hours, while the remaining 29 were on short flights. The measurements obtained from both groups were similar. None of the subjects had severe cardio-respiratory problems.

“The oxygen levels of 54% of our subjects fell to less than 94% at maximum altitude and an earlier study suggested that a third of physicians would put hospital patients with these levels on extra oxygen,” added Dr. Humphreys.