What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed data from altitude chamber exposures to determine how many altitude decompression sickness (DCS) symptoms resolved when people descended to lower altitudes.
What They Found
Of 1,699 DCS symptoms reviewed, 84.3% resolved during descent, 6.9% resolved at ground level, and 3.9% resolved at altitude. Increasing the pressure by 138 mmHg from the altitude of exposure resolved roughly 50% of symptoms, with the greatest rate of resolution occurring with recompressions of 50-250 mmHg.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients experiencing altitude decompression sickness, these findings suggest that prompt descent and breathing 100% oxygen at ground level may be sufficient to relieve the majority of symptoms. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) might be reserved for more serious, recurring, or persistent cases of DCS.
Canadian Relevance
This study is not Canadian. However, it covers decompression sickness, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
This was a retrospective study, meaning it looked back at existing data, and the findings suggest a need for further prospective research on DCS symptom resolution.