title: Identification of professional scuba divers with patent foramen ovale at risk for decompression illness.
abstract: Functional and anatomic characteristics of patent foramen ovale (PFO) were investigated in 66 professional scuba divers (41 with and 25 without decompression illness) using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. PFO with right-to-left shunting at rest is associated with decompression illness, particularly the neurologic type. A wider patency diameter together with a higher membrane mobility are associated with the risk of developing the disease in divers with PFO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cartoni
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Castro
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelliccia
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beni
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Angelantonio
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papetti
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vitali Serdoz
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fedele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004242:Diving; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence