Sinonasal Symptoms and Outcomes in Aircrew

Abstract

Background: This study was performed to determine the effect of extended flying time on the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores of aircrew. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 172 randomly selected aircrew employees (pilots and flight attendants) of Saudi based airlines, collecting demographic data, smoking habit, flying hours, job effects, SNOT-22 score, and nasal surgery history. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: When flying time exceeded 12 hours weekly, job performance was affected for 45.4% of the aircrew. Some (24.8%) cancelled their flights because symptoms were intolerable. This was reflected on the SNOT-22 instrument: respondents indicated nasal discharge (p = 0.012), ear fullness (p = 0.03), or a nasal block (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Flying time of more than 12 hours weekly presents a significant risk for developing many sinonasal symptoms.