Decompression illness (DCI) is attributed to the formation of bubbles, resulting from
the reduction of the ambient pressure. Circulating bubbles lead to capillary leak
syndrome, extravasation of plasma and haemoconcentration. Experimental model on aimals
has shown that a haemoconcentration carried a poor prognosis. We measured the haematocrit
level in fifty-eight consecutive sport divers, victims of neurological DCI, admitted
to our hyperbaric center, and in sixteen control divers. No significant difference
was found in the haematocrit values between the divers with neurological DCI (median
42.5 %) and the controls (median 41.75 %). The median haematocrit level was significantly
higher for divers with neurological sequelae when compared with control (p = 0.01)
or with divers without sequelae (p < 0.05). A haematocrit level ≥ 48 % was correlated
with persistent neurological sequelae one month after the accident (p = 0.01). However,
a haematocrit < 48 % had no prognostic value.
Key words
Decompression - illness - haematocrit - prognosis
