Relation between interatrial shunts and decompression sickness in divers.
The prevalence of right-to-left interatrial shunts was determined by contrast echocardiography in a blind comparison of 61 divers who had had decompression sickness, divided into four predetermined clinical subgroups, and a control group of 63 who had not. The prevalence of shunt was 15/63 in the controls and did not differ significantly in 24 divers with onset of neurological symptoms more than 30 minutes after surfacing (4/24) or 6 with joint pain only (1/6). In divers who had neurological symptoms within 30 minutes of surfacing the prevalence of shunt was 19/29, significantly higher. Rashes soon after surfacing were related to shunts but late rashes were not.
Wilmshurst
P T
PT
Department of Cardiology, St Thomas' Hospital, London.
Byrne
J C
JC
Webb-Peploe
M M
MM
D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000150:complications*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors