Urinary catecholamine responses in F-15 pilots: evaluation of the stress induced by long-distance flights.
Included in the Cooperative Cope Thunder exercises from Japan to Alaska is one of the longest distance flight missions carried out by Japan Air-Self Defense Force F-15 pilots. The magnitude of the flight stress of these pilots is considered to be quite high. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the flight stress induced by the long-distance flights. The subjects were eight pilots who participated on a volunteer basis. Samples of urine were collected approximately 30 minutes before (preflight) and 20 minutes after (postflight) the flights. The ratios (post-:preflight) of noradrenaline levels were 1.20 +/- 0.09 (Japan-Alaska) and 1.32 +/- 0.12 (Alaska-Japan), and those of adrenaline were 4.03 +/- 1.06 and 3.68 +/- 0.98. These results strongly suggest that psychological stress during the long-distance flights is increased in the fighter pilots.
Ohrui
Nobuhiro
N
Aeromedical Laboratory, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Tachikawa, Japan.
Kanazawa
Fumiko
F
Takeuchi
Yoshinori
Y
Otsuka
Yasutami
Y
Tarui
Hideo
H
Miyamoto
Yoshinori
Y
D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D000413:Alaska; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000652:urine*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016526:Workload
D015415:Biomarkers; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine