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Effect of oxygen-breathing during a decompression-stop on bubble-induced platelet activation after an open-sea air dive

Oxygen-stop decompression

  • Original Article
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Abstract

Purpose

We highlighted a relationship between decompression-induced bubble formation and platelet micro-particle (PMP) release after a scuba air-dive. It is known that decompression protocol using oxygen-stop accelerates the washout of nitrogen loaded in tissues. The aim was to study the effect of oxygen deco-stop on bubble formation and cell-derived MP release.

Methods

Healthy experienced divers performed two scuba-air dives to 30 msw for 30 min, one with an air deco-stop and a second with 100 % oxygen deco-stop at 3 msw for 9 min. Bubble grades were monitored with ultrasound and converted to the Kisman integrated severity score (KISS). Blood samples for cell-derived micro-particle analysis (AnnexinV for PMP and CD31 for endothelial MP) were taken 1 h before and after each dive.

Results

Mean KISS bubble score was significantly lower after the dive with oxygen-decompression stop, compared to the dive with air-decompression stop (4.3 ± 7.3 vs. 32.7 ± 19.9, p < 0.001). After the dive with an air-breathing decompression stop, we observed an increase of the post-dive mean values of PMP (753 ± 245 vs. 381 ± 191 ng/μl, p = 0.003) but no significant change in the oxygen-stop decompression dive (329 ± 215 vs. 381 +/191 ng/μl, p = 0.2). For the post-dive mean values of endothelial MP, there was no significant difference between both the dives.

Conclusions

The Oxygen breathing during decompression has a beneficial effect on bubble formation accelerating the washout of nitrogen loaded in tissues. Secondary oxygen-decompression stop could reduce bubble-induced platelet activation and the pro-coagulant activity of PMP release preventing the thrombotic event in the pathogenesis of decompression sickness.

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Abbreviations

BIPA:

Bubble-induced platelet activation

DCS:

Decompression sickness

EMP:

Endothelial cells derived microparticles

KISS:

Kisman integrated severity score

MP:

Micro-particle

PECAM:

Platelet endothelium adhesion molecule

PFP:

Platelet-free plasma

PMP:

Platelet microparticles

VGE:

Venous gas emboli

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the divers and the hyperbaric nurses from the French Navy Diving School in Toulon for participating and helping in this study. The authors would like to acknowledge the PHYPODE project, financed by the European commission under a Marie Curie initial training network (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-ITN program).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diving and Hyperbaric Department, French Navy Diving School, BP 311, 83800, Toulon, France

    J.-M. Pontier

  2. ORPHY Laboratory EA 4324, Phypode Project, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, 29200, Brest, Cedex 3, France

    K. Lambrechts

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  1. J.-M. Pontier
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  2. K. Lambrechts
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Correspondence to K. Lambrechts.

Additional information

Communicated by David C. Poole.

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Pontier, JM., Lambrechts, K. Effect of oxygen-breathing during a decompression-stop on bubble-induced platelet activation after an open-sea air dive. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1175–1181 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2841-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2841-x

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