Does recreational scuba diving have clinically significant effect on routine haematological parameters?

Abstract

IntroductionScuba diving represents a combination of exercise and changes in environmental conditions. This study aimed to evaluate changes in haematological parameters after recreational scuba diving in order to identify clinically significant changes.Materials and methodsThe study included males, 17 recreational divers, median age (range) 41 (30-52) years. Blood samples were taken before diving, immediately after diving to 30 meters for 30 minutes, 3 hours and 6 hours after diving. Complete blood counts were analyzed on the Cell Dyn Ruby haematology analyzer. Statistical significance between successive measurements was tested using Friedman test. The difference between the two measurements was judged against desirable bias (DSB) derived from biological variation and calculated reference change values (RCV). The difference higher than RCV was considered clinically significant.ResultsA statistically significant increase and difference judging against DSB was observed: for neutrophils immediately, 3 and 6 hours after diving (18%, 34% and 36%, respectively), for white blood cells (WBCs) 3 and 6 hours after diving (20% and 25%, respectively), for lymphocytes (20%) and monocytes (23%) 6 hours after diving. A statistically significant decrease and difference judging against DSB was found: immediately after diving for monocytes (- 15%), 3 and 6 hours after diving for red blood cells (RBCs) (- 2.6% and -2.9%, respectively), haemoglobin (- 2.1% and - 2.8%, respectively) and haematocrit (- 2.4% and - 3.2%, respectively). A clinically significant change was not found for any of the test parameters when compared to RCV.ConclusionsObserved statistically significant changes after recreational scuba diving; WBCs, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes increase and RBCs, haemoglobin, haematocrit decrease, probably will not affect clinical decision.

Effect of scuba diving on the oxidant/antioxidant status, SIRT1 and SIRT3 expression in recreational divers after a winter nondive period

“…Lipid account that erythrocytes and plasma are considered the most sensitive blood fractions for oxidative damage[21] and since we found no difference in plasma TBARS level and also in carbonylated proteins level in either plasma or erythrocytes, peroxidative damage in erythrocytes appears to be the most pronounced response to oxidative stress caused by scuba diving. It is obvious that erythrocyte membranes are the most vulnerable to ROS overproduction, which could be the reason for the decrease of erythrocyte number after diving, reported in our previous work[22]. Taken together, these findings suggest the importance of the depth and duration of hyperbaric exposure, which is reflected in the necessary decompression during ascent, on ROS overproduction and consequential damage.…”

Human Physiological Responses to a Single Deep Helium-Oxygen Diving

“…Granulocyte increase is often accompanied by a mild increase in monocytes in the inflammatory response ( Natale et al, 2003 ). However, in this study, the mean number of intermediate cells decreased immediately after surfacing, which was inconsistent with Perovic’s study ( Perovic et al, 2017 ). They found that neutrophils increased and monocytes decreased immediately after 30 m-depth compressed-air diving.…”

Investigação da utilização da Variabilidade Cardíaca como indicador de estresse fisiológico induzido por exposição a ambientes hiperbáricos e subsequente descompressão

“…Other studies report the anti- Both profiles caused a reduction in erythrocytes, hematocrit and hemoglobin, with, again, a greater decrease in the results obtained from the Deeper Decompression Profile (Tables 9 and 10), although the post dive results from both profiles do not present significant difference among each other (p-value > 0.05, Figure 13). This result is also in line with other results obtained by research teams working in collaboration with the Laboratory of Energetics and Theoretical Physiology of the University of Sao Paulo and with a study designed to evaluate changes in hematological parameters after SCUBA diving 86 . It could be speculated that one possible explanation for this reduction is eryptosis, a form of programmed cell death undergone by erythrocytes, known to be triggered by oxidative stress, in a mechanism where caspases expressed by erythrocytes are activated, resulting in the erythrocytes being recognized and engulfed by circulating macrophages.…”

“…It could be speculated that one possible explanation for this reduction is eryptosis, a form of programmed cell death undergone by erythrocytes, known to be triggered by oxidative stress, in a mechanism where caspases expressed by erythrocytes are activated, resulting in the erythrocytes being recognized and engulfed by circulating macrophages. Since the erythrocyte membranes are very vulnerable to oxidative damage and erythrocytes are unable to repair damaged components as proteins by re-synthesis, they are very sensitive to oxidative stress 86 .…”