Title

Acute decompression illness and serum s100β levels: A prospective observational pilot study

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2007

Abstract

Background: S100β, 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 S100β determinations in recreational divers affected by decompression illness (DCI) this pilot study determines whether S100β 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 S100β 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 S100β, nor CK levels were significantly raised above population normal limits.

Conclusion: S100β is not a clinically useful serum marker of acute DCI.

Comments

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Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine may be accessed from the publisher here

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine may be accessed from the National Library of Australia here


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