Cytokine response after acute hyperbaric exposure in the rat.
Intravascular gas has earlier been shown to activate leukocytes and platelets, enhance cell adhesion, and promote secretion of vasoactive substances from platelets. Since decompression is known to release gas bubbles in the bloodstream, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of a standardized decompression trauma on inflammatory mediators. Two series of experiments were performed in which male Wistar rats were subjected to a sublethal decompression trauma using a dry pressure chamber. Postdive measurements of cytokine levels were performed to look for signs of an inflammatory reaction. All animals subjected to a decompression trauma showed postdive signs of mild to severe decompression illness (DCI) and measurements of interleukin-6 (IL-6) indicated a postdive increase in the majority of these animals. Our finding of a postdive increase in IL-6 suggests that an inflammatory response, probably created by a blood-gas interface, may be a factor in the process leading to DCI.
Ersson
A
A
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Helsingborg Hospital, Sweden.
Linder
C
C
Ohlsson
K
K
Ekholm
A
A
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000097:blood*; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha