Effect of Aircraft-Cabin Altitude on Passenger Discomfort

Abstract

Ascent from ground level to the conditions of 7000 to 8000 ft lowered oxygen saturation by approximately 4 percentage points. This level of hypoxemia was insufficient to affect the occurrence of acute mountain sickness but did contribute to the increased frequency of reports of discomfort in unacclimatized participants after 3 to 9 hours. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00326703 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).