What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated the utility of fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) tests in 18 patients with a history of diving-related illness.
What They Found
Among 18 patients, 8 with serious neurological signs had positive FDP tests and required repetitive hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In contrast, 6 patients with local musculoskeletal complaints had negative FDP tests and were asymptomatic after one treatment. The FDP test appears useful for identifying severe decompression sickness.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This suggests that FDP tests could help identify Canadian patients with severe decompression sickness requiring more intensive treatment. Early identification of severe cases could lead to more targeted and effective management strategies.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is its very small sample size of only 18 patients.