Is there a hypercoagulable state in military fighter pilots?
BACKGROUND
A hypercoagulable state is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, the most important cause of permanent grounding of flying personnel.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to investigate whether a hypercoagulable state is present in jet pilots, and whether it can be due to flight activity.


METHODS
To this purpose we studied Fibrinopeptide A (FPA), Thrombin-Antithrombin complexes (TAT) and D-Dimer (DD), sensitive biochemical markers of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis activation, in 10 jet pilots after a standardized training flight mission, and in a control group. Also evaluated before flight were 6 jet pilots.


RESULTS
We were able to show increased thrombin and plasmin activity both in jet pilots compared to the control group, and after flight in the 6 pilots who were evaluated twice.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that a hypercoagulable state due to flight activity is present in jet pilots after flight. Possible mechanisms involve an effect of psycho-physical stress mediated by a neuroendocrine response to flight activity, or an effect of chronic +Gz exposure on cardiovascular structure and function.
Biondi
G
G
Istituto di Medicina Interna, Universitá di Cagliari, Italy.
Farrace
S
S
Mameli
G
G
Marongiu
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology
C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A; D000990:Antithrombin III; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases