Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning reduces the incidence of decompression sickness in rats via nitric oxide.

摘要: Divers are at risk of decompression sickness (DCS) when the ambient pressure decrease exceeds a critical threshold. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) preconditioning has been used to prevent various injuries, but protective effect on DCS not well explored. To investigate prophylactic HBO2 DCS, rats were pretreated with (250 kPa-60 minutes) (all pressures described here absolute pressure) for 18 hours before simulated air dive (700 kPa-100 fast surface rate 200 kPa/min (n=33). During following 30 minutes, walked in 3 m/minute rotating cage and monitored signs DCS. The control normobaric (n=30), normoxic hyperbaric nitrox kPa, 8.4% O2) (n=13), or N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) minutes exposure (n=13). Nitric oxide (NO) levels recorded immediately after brain spinal cord. incidence was 30.3%, which significantly lower than those treated (63.3%) (p<0.05) (61.5%) (p<0.05). onset time delayed compared L-NAME nullified effect. increased NO level rat cord right exposure; this inhibited by L-NAME. Taken together, reduced rats, involved