Mini Trampoline, a New and Promising Way of SCUBA Diving Preconditioning to Reduce Vascular Gas Emboli?

Kate Lambrechts, Peter Germonpré, Joaquim Vandenheede, Manon Delorme, Pierre Lafère and Costantino Balestra
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Kate Lambrechts: Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1180 Brussels, Belgium
Peter Germonpré: Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1180 Brussels, Belgium
Joaquim Vandenheede: Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1180 Brussels, Belgium
Manon Delorme: Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1180 Brussels, Belgium
Pierre Lafère: Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1180 Brussels, Belgium
Costantino Balestra: Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1180 Brussels, Belgium

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-9

Abstract: Background: Despite evolution in decompression algorithms, decompression illness is still an issue nowadays. Reducing vascular gas emboli (VGE) production or preserving endothelial function by other means such as diving preconditioning is of great interest. Several methods have been tried, either mechanical, cardiovascular, desaturation aimed or biochemical, with encouraging results. In this study, we tested mini trampoline (MT) as a preconditioning strategy. Methods: In total, eight (five females, three males; mean age 36 ± 16 years; body mass index 27.5 ± 7.1 kg/m 2 ) healthy, non-smoking, divers participated. Each diver performed two standardized air dives 1 week apart with and without preconditioning, which consisted of ±2 min of MT jumping. All dives were carried out in a pool (NEMO 33, Brussels, Belgium) at a depth of 25 m for 25 min. VGE counting 30 and 60 min post-dive was recorded by echocardiography together with an assessment of endothelial function by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Results: VGE were significantly reduced after MT (control: 3.1 ± 4.9 VGE per heartbeat vs. MT: 0.6 ± 1.1 VGE per heartbeat, p = 0.031). Post-dive FMD exhibited a significant decrease in the absence of preconditioning (92.9% ± 7.4 of pre-dive values, p = 0.03), as already described. MT preconditioning prevented this FMD decrease (103.3% ± 7.1 of pre-dive values, p = 0.30). FMD difference is significant ( p = 0.03). Conclusions: In our experience, MT seems to be a very good preconditioning method to reduce VGE and endothelial changes. It may become the easiest, cheapest and more efficient preconditioning for SCUBA diving.

Keywords: decompression disease; adverse effects; VGE; vascular dysfunction; venous gas emboli; human (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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