Acute decompression illness and serum s100beta levels: a prospective observational pilot study.
BACKGROUND
S100beta, a calcium binding protein associated with astroglial cells and other tissues has been shown to be raised in the serum of patients with a number of neurological pathologies. As there are no published data on serum S100beta determinations in recreational divers affected by decompression illness (DCI) this pilot study determines whether S100beta is a possible biochemical marker of DCI worthy of further investigation.


METHODS
Venous blood samples were drawn from patients diagnosed with, and treated for acute DCI at a hyperbaric facility and analysed for serum S100beta concentration and Creatine Kinase (CK) activity. Samples were taken at initial presentation, and again following final treatment.


RESULTS
Twenty one patients were included in the study. Neither S100beta, nor CK levels were significantly raised above population normal limits.


CONCLUSIONS
S100beta is not a clinically useful serum marker of acute DCI.
Poff
D J
DJ
Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Western Operations, Western Australia.
Wong
R
R
Bulsara
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D015415:Biomarkers; D009418:S100 Proteins; D003402:Creatine Kinase