title: Are recreational SCUBA divers with asthma at increased risk?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asthma has traditionally been regarded as a contraindication to self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) diving, although large numbers of patients with asthma dive. The aim of the review is to provide an update on current knowledge on potential disease-related hazards in SCUBA divers with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic literature review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven studies met the criteria for inclusion in the review (comprising a total of 560 subjects). Five studies reported an increased risk for developing diving-related injuries in divers with asthma, based on case reports (n = 1), case history combined with objective assessment (n = 1), and dives and/or simulated dives (n = 3). The remaining studies (n = 2) were based on self-reported diving habits in divers suffering from asthma, obtained from anonymous questionnaires in diving magazines, reported no diving-related injuries among respondents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to limited evidence it is difficult to draw valid conclusions, but there are indications that recreational divers with asthma may be at increased risk for diving-related injuries compared to non-asthmatic divers. However, it is of at most importance to obtain further evidence from large-scale, well-designed studies.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pulmonary Medicine , Hvidovre Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.
authors.forename: Amalie S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ustrup
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pulmonary Medicine , Hvidovre Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.|b Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark.
authors.forename: Charlotte S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ulrik
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D011998:Recreation; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Asthma; SCUBA diving; diving; diving-related injuries; recreational diving; self-contained underwater breathing apparatus