What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated if a part of the immune system called complement became active during decompression after air dives in a hyperbaric chamber, while also tracking intravascular bubbles.
What They Found
Eighteen subjects completed 92 dives, with 74 of these dives producing intravascular bubbles. However, specific markers for complement activation (plasma C3a des Arg and red-cell-bound C3d) did not show significant activation after the dives. Pre-dive tests also failed to link complement sensitivity to in vivo complement activation or the appearance of bubbles, even in the two subjects who developed decompression sickness.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients at risk of decompression sickness (DCS), this study suggests that complement activation may not be a primary mechanism immediately following air dives. This finding could help direct future research into understanding the causes of DCS, indicating that targeting complement might not be the most effective strategy for prevention or treatment based on these results.
Canadian Relevance
Covers a Health Canada-recognised indication: decompression sickness.
Study Limitations
This 1997 study involved a relatively small number of subjects and focused on specific complement markers, which might not capture all aspects of complement activation or be generalizable to all diving scenarios.