Systematic review – Compression stockings for preventing deep vein thrombosis in airline passengers
Ed Juszczak with Mike Clarke, Monica Kjeldstrøm, Sally Hopewell, and Anne Eisinga (Oxford)
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs where there is a partial or total blockage of the deep venous system of the body, usually in the legs. The symptoms of deep vein thrombosis do not usually develop immediately and diagnosis can be problematic. If left untreated, patients with deep vein thrombosis are at risk of developing a pulmonary embolism (when part of the clot/thrombus breaks away and lodges in the lungs), which can be fatal.
Recently, there has been an increase in publicity surrounding the development of deep vein thrombosis following long-haul flights. Venous thrombosis related to air travel was first reported in 1954 in a 54-year old doctor, who developed deep vein thrombosis following a 14-hour flight. In 1997 Symington called this condition ‘economy class syndrome’, believing that prolonged sitting in confined conditions was a major factor in developing venous thrombosis.
It has been suggested that the use of compression stockings during long-haul flights may help to reduce the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis. This Cochrane review investigates the effects of wearing compression stockings for preventing deep vein thrombosis versus not wearing compression stockings by people travelling on long-haul flights. For the purposes of this review, long-haul flights are defined as flights of at least four hours duration.
