Hormones and Biomarkers in Student Pilots Before and After Rehabilitation from Airsickness.

Abstract

Introduction: Airsickness (AS) affects many aviators and has been associated with hormonal and other biomarker variations. An analysis of hormones and biomarkers potentially predicting an individual's adaptation to AS was performed.

Methods: Plasma levels of vasopressin, cortisol, ghrelin, C-reactive protein, substance P, antioxidant capacity, and 15-F2t-isoprostane were analyzed in seven student pilots (five men and two women) affected with incapacitating AS and undergoing a rehabilitation program. Peripheral blood was sampled before and after a nauseogenic Coriolis Stress Test (CST) at the beginning and end of rehabilitation.

Results: All individuals were sensitive and vomited upon initial CST, while no symptoms were provoked by the final one. No significant differences between men and women were observed. After return to real flight activity, one man was still affected with AS (fail case). Higher levels of vasopressin and ghrelin were detected in this individual before the initial CST, with respect to the rest of the sample. A cortisol peak was observed in all subjects after the initial CST (average from 6288-29,861 pg · mL-1), but only in the fail case at the final CST (from 10,040-63,050 pg · mL-1). No relevant changes were observed for C-reactive protein, substance P, and antioxidant capacity, but 15-F2t-isoprostane was significantly reduced after rehabilitation in all subjects with respect to the first recording.

Discussion: Although various hormonal/biomarker changes can be observed during rehabilitation from AS, cortisol plasma levels were noted as a potentially promising parameter for predicting the success of desensitization. Greco A, Verde P, De Nuccio C, Spanu C, Minghetti L, Lucertini M. Hormones and biomarkers in student pilots before and after rehabilitation from airsickness. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2025; 96(6):461-468.