Blood biochemical factors in humans resistant and susceptible to formation of venous gas emboli during decompression.

Blood biochemical parameters were measured in 12 male human subjects before and after exposure to a staged decompression protocol, with simulated extravehicular activity, during 3 days. Following the exposure, significant changes occurred in several parameters, including increases in blood urea nitrogen, inorganic phosphate, potassium, and osmolality, and decreases in uric acid and creatinine. Pre-exposure blood samples from subjects who were susceptible to formation of venous gas emboli (VGE) during decompression exhibited significantly greater levels of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, potassium, inorganic phosphate, calcium, and magnesium. The results indicate that, following this decompression profile, small but significant (P less than 0.05) changes occur in several blood biochemical parameters, and that levels of certain blood factors may be related to susceptibility to VGE formation during decompression.