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Vol. 42. Issue 7.
Pages 373-375 (July 2006)
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Vol. 42. Issue 7.
Pages 373-375 (July 2006)
Case Report
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Economy Class Syndrome or Immobile Traveler's Syndrome?
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Pilar Gispert
Corresponding author
pgispert@vhebron.net

Correspondence: Dra. P. Gispert. Servicio de Neumología. Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron. P.° Vall d'Hebron, 119–129. 08035 Barcelona. España
, M. Estrella Drobnic, Rafael Vidal
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
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Economy class syndrome describes the situation of patients who suffer pulmonary embolism following prolonged immobility in a long distance flight. The objective of the present study was to analyze whether there is a risk of pulmonary thromboembolism after a long overland journey.

The study consecutively enrolled 100 patients diagnosed with pulmonary thromboembolism. Nine of them had previously undertaken a long journey (>5 h), 6 of which had been over land. Consequently, we think that the preventative measures recommended for airline passengers should be extended to users of other means of transport.

Key words:
Deep vein thrombosis
Pulmonary thromboembolism
Traveler's syndrome
Economy class syndrome

El síndrome de la clase turista es el que se asocia a personas que presentan una embolia pulmonar a consecuencia de una inmovilización prolongada tras un viaje por vía aérea de larga duración. El objetivo del presente trabajo ha sido analizar si existe riesgo de tromboembolia pulmonar tras un viaje de larga duración por vía terrestre.

Se ha estudiado a 100 pacientes consecutivos diagnosticados de tromboembolia pulmonar. De ellos, 9 presentaban el antecedente de haber realizado un viaje prolongado (> 5 h) y en 6 de estos casos el transporte fue terrestre. Por este motivo pensamos que las medidas preventivas propuestas para los viajeros por vía aérea deben extenderse a quienes utilizan otro medio de transporte.

Palabras clave:
Trombosis venosa profunda
Tromboembolia pulmonary
Síndrome del viajero
Síndrome de la clase turista
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This study was partially funded by Red Respira (Instituto Carlos III. FIS RTYCCO3/11).

Copyright © 2006. Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica (SEPAR)
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