What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to assess lung function changes in 180 healthy male scuba divers (152 air, 28 oxygen) compared to 34 healthy male controls.
What They Found
Air divers and oxygen divers showed significantly lower mid-expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity (MEF25) than controls (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Oxygen divers also had a decreased mid-expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (MEF50) (p<0.05). Both MEF25 and MEF50 were inversely related to years of diving (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian scuba divers, particularly those with long-term diving exposure, may experience subtle changes in small airway function. Regular medical check-ups, including lung function tests, could be beneficial for divers to monitor their respiratory health over time.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada nor involved Canadian participants.
Study Limitations
As a cross-sectional study, it cannot establish a causal relationship between diving and observed lung function changes.