Aviat Space Envir Md
-
Recreational divers face a difficult choice when trying to select the appropriate surface interval between diving and flying. Differences in diving techniques and lack of readily available hyperbaric treatment make guidelines for commercial and military divers inappropriate for recreational divers. A literature review revealed that proposed surface intervals ranged from zero to 24 h, but few were human-tested. ⋯ Recreational divers should not make dives that require decompression stops, but if such dives should occur, delay flying for at least 24 h and, if possible, for 48 h. Divers with DCS symptoms should not fly, unless it is required to obtain hyperbaric treatment. The UHMS guideline is based on current scientific information and expert opinion, and is anticipated to be conservative, safe surface intervals for the vast majority of divers.
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Aug 1990
Comparative StudyA comparison of emergency medical helicopter accident rates in the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany.
The purpose of this study was to compare accident rates of helicopter emergency medical services (USA-HEMS) to domestic air taxi service (USA-Taxi) and helicopter emergency medical services in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG-HEMS). Contingency tables compared the total hours flown to the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents for USA-HEMS (1982-7) vs. USA-Taxi (1980-5) and USA-HEMS (1982-7) vs. ⋯ This was significantly different from the USA-Taxi overall accident rate of 6.7/100,000 h and the fatal accident rate of 1.6/100,000 h (chi 2 = 20.441, p = 0.0001). The USA-HEMS overall and fatal accident rates were not significantly different than the FRG-HEMS overall (10.9/100,000 h) and fatal (4.1/100,000 h) accident rate (chi 2 = 0.061, p = 0.97). These data suggest that emergency air transport is inherently more risky than routine air taxi services.
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Apr 1990
Comparative StudyMortality and cancer incidence in a cohort of commercial airline pilots.
We undertook a cohort study of all male pilots employed since January 1, 1950, by CP Air, now Canadian Airlines International. A total of 913 eligible pilots--630 active and 283 no longer employed--contributing 18,060 person-years of observation, were identified through company records. As of October 31, 1988, current status was obtained on 891 (97.6%). ⋯ Excess deaths were observed for aircraft accidents (No. = 23; SMR = 21.29; p less than 0.001; CI 14.60, 30.20), brain cancer (No. = 4; SMR = 4.17, p = 0.017; CI 1.40, 9.50) and rectal cancer (No. = 3; SMR = 4.35; p = 0.033; CI 1.20, 11.20). Excess cancer incidence was noted for non-melanoma skin cancer (No. = 26; SIR = 1.59; p = 0.017; CI 1.10, 2.20), brain cancer (No. = 4; SIR = 3.45; p = 0.030; CI 1.20, 7.90) and Hodgkin's Disease (No. = 3; SIR = 4.54; p = 0.030; CI 1.20, 11.70). These findings, suggesting an excess risk for certain cancers in commercial airline pilots, are based on small numbers and need to be confirmed in larger cohort studies.
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Mar 1990
Biography Historical Article Classical ArticleA cardiovascular rating as a measure of physical fatigue and efficiency. 1920.
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Jan 1990
ReviewAerobic fitness norms for males and females aged 6 to 75 years: a review.
An extensive literature review was performed of studies where VO2max was measured directly in healthy, untrained subjects in the USA, Canada and 7 European countries to establish absolute (L/min) and relative (ml.kg-1.min-1) VO2max norms in males and females aged 6-75 years. Mean norms (L/min) in males show an increase from 1.0 L/min at age 6 years, to 2.0 and 3.4 L/min at ages 12 and 18 years, respectively, after which they decline with age to 3.2, 2.7, and 1.6 L/min for ages 30, 50, and 75 years, respectively. The corresponding values for females aged 6, 12, 18, 30, 50, and 75 years are 0.9, 1.8, 2.2, 1.8, and 1.1 L/min, respectively. ⋯ Mean values for males for the above age groups are 47.5, 50, 48, 35, and 25 ml.kg-1.min-1, respectively, with corresponding values for females of 42.5, 44, 41, 28, and 17.5 ml.kg-1.min-1, respectively. These norms (L/min) are slightly lower than Robinson's 1938 data on males; they are only 1.5% lower compared with Astrand's adult males norms; but 2.5 to 10% lower than Astrand's norms for adult females. Present norms (ml.kg-1.min-1) for middle aged and older women are 25% lower than the corresponding Astrand's norms.