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Joan Stephenson, PhD

JAMA. 2006;295:1763.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Factors other than immobility, such as lower air pressure and oxygen levels, may contribute to the development of potentially fatal blood clots during air travel, according to new findings by researchers from the Netherlands (Schreijer AJM et al. Lancet. 2006;367:832-838).

Factors other than immobility, such as lower air pressure and oxygen levels, may contribute to deep vein thrombosis related to air travel. (Photo credit: Bryan Thompson/iStockphoto.com)

Studies indicate that air travelers have a 2-fold to 4-fold increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), with higher risks after longer flights compared with shorter ones. To investigate whether factors other than immobility might play a role in increasing DVT risk, researchers from Leiden University Hospital in the Netherlands measured the concentration of markers for clotting activation in the blood of 71 volunteers before, during, and immediately after an 8-hour flight. The same individuals also participated in . . . [Full Text of this Article]