Individual and Community

Long hours at computers may cause blood clots
By Anand Parthasarathy

The Hindu Online edition of India’s National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 31, 2003

Sitting before a computer all day can cause blood clots similar to deep
vein thrombosis (right) afflicting some long-haul airline passengers.
(Photo: University of California, San Diego)

Bangalore Jan. 30. – If your work or life-style demands that you spend long hours in front of a computer, change it. Doctors have found that the activity could cause blood clots in the unmoving lower limbs, then travel upwards into the lungs with possible fatal consequences. The effect is chillingly similar to what is now known as “economy class syndrome” medically known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that has led to the death of a few airline passengers who spent 12-16 hours cooped up in the cramped economy class seats of long-haul airlines.

In this month’s issue of the European Respiratory Journal, a team of New Zealand-based doctors led by Richard Beasley, reports on the case of a 32-year-old patient developing a life-threatening blood clot because he spent over 12 hours a day seated at his personal computer, rarely standing up in between. Initially he merely suffered from swollen feet, a common experience with middle-aged persons doing sedentary tasks. However, the condition persisted and he lost consciousness after developing breathing trouble. Doctors saved him by administering blood-thinning drugs.

The case was widely reported yesterday in the Australia-New Zealand media which quoted Dr. Beasley as saying that the case was the first of this nature. He suggested that in view of the dominant role played by the personal computer in modern life, this was a risk that must be well understood. The team has coined a new name for the computer-specific condition: e-thrombosis. The case is also interesting because the victim was relatively young, which goes against the current wisdom that DVT and similar conditions usually afflict the aged.

The danger of prolonged sitting in aircraft became apparent only two years ago after a few fatalities and since then nearly 60 victims have tried unsuccessfully to sue airlines. These days pre-flight announcements in many long-distance flights include recommendations to “take a walk” along the aisle occasionally.

This realisation is particularly relevant in India which is fast emerging as a preferred destination for international call centres, medical transcription and other outsourced jobs where thousands of Indians in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai and a few other places spend a full working shift of 8-12 hours sitting in front of computers. While the majority of these facilities are professionally managed and provide mandatory intervals, no one really knows how many `sweat shops’ operate in the smaller towns where the operators are forced to do long shifts with few breaks. The clearly-documented risks published this week may force the Government of India to examine the possible medical side-effects of India’s quest to become the world’s IT-enabled services leader and attempt some form of control over the working conditions. It may also provide an amber signal to many self-employed persons or just “Net freaks” who boast of spending the entire day glued to the personal computer.

Also reported in

• BBC News – Health threat from computer use
• European Respiratory Journal
• eThrombosis: the 21st century variant of venous thromboembolism associated with immobility. Eur Respir J. 2003 Feb;21(2):374-6.

Study links flying to blood clots

Bellinda Kontominas Medical Reporter
September 26, 2007

AIRLINE passengers are more than three times more likely to develop life-threatening blood clots than those who do not fly, according to new research.

But the overall risk of venous thrombosis is relatively low, with one blood-clotting incident for every 4656 long-haul flights.

The Dutch study is the first to calculate the overall risk of thrombosis after air travel, despite research linking flying to “economy-class syndrome” for more than 50 years.

It examined the incidence of blood clots among almost 8800 employees of international organisations, matching the data with risk factors and travel records for flights between January 2000 and December 2005.

Passengers taking flights longer than four hours were at an increased risk of blood clots.

People who took five or more flights during the study period were almost three times more likely to develop a blood clot than those who took one or two flights, said Dr Frits Rosendaal, from the department of Clinical Epidemiology and Haematology at Leiden University Medical Centre.

Travellers under 30, women using oral contraceptives and those who were particularly tall, short or overweight were also more likely to develop blood clots.

Limited leg space made very tall people more susceptible, while very short passengers were often unable to reach the floor, putting increased pressure on their legs, said Dr Rosendaal.

Professor John Fletcher, chairman of the Australian New Zealand Working Party on the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism, said it was important for travellers to take long walks in the weeks before long-haul flights, be properly fitted for travel socks and follow recommendations for in-flight exercise. source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/study-links-flying-to-blood-clots/2007/09/25/1190486311876.html