Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Jul 4;8(1):10128.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28510-x.

Stimulating fermentation by the prolonged acceleration of gut transit protects against decompression sickness

Sébastien de Maistre  1 , Nicolas Vallée  2 , Sandrine Gaillard  3 , Claude Duchamp  4 , Jean-Eric Blatteau  5
Affiliations

Stimulating fermentation by the prolonged acceleration of gut transit protects against decompression sickness

Sébastien de Maistre et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Massive bubble formation after diving can lead to decompression sickness (DCS). Gut fermentation at the time of a dive exacerbates DCS due to endogenous hydrogen production. We sought to investigate whether medium-term stimulation of fermentation as a result of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced acceleration of bowel transit before diving exacerbates DCS in rats. Seven days before an experimental dry dive, 60 rats were randomly divided in two groups: an experimental group treated with PEG (n = 30) and an untreated control group (n = 30). Exhaled hydrogen was measured before the dive. Following hyperbaric exposure, we assessed for signs of DCS. After anaesthetisation, arterial blood was drawn to assay inflammatory cytokines and markers of oxidative stress. PEG led to a significant increase in exhaled H2 (35 ppm [10-73] compared with control 7 ppm [2-15]; p = 0.001). The probability of death was reduced in PEG-treated rats (PEG: 17% [95% CI 4-41] vs control: 50% [95% CI 26-74]; p = 0.034). In addition, inflammatory markers were reduced, and the antioxidant activity of glutathione peroxidase was significantly increased (529.2 U.l-1 [485.4-569.0] versus 366.4 U.l-1 [317.6-414.8]; p = 0.004). Thus, gut fermentation might have a positive effect on DCS. The antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of the fermentation by-products H2 and butyrate may explain these results.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Gut and fermentation activities in the at-risk population (Bu: butyrate, Pro: propionate, Ac: acetate, Va: valerate). *Denotes p < 0.05 between the groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Decompression sickness within 30 min after surfacing in the at-risk population. *Denotes p < 0.05 between the groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Gut and fermentation activities in the low-risk population (Bu: butyrate, Pro: propionate, Ac: acetate, Va: valerate). *Denotes p < 0.05 between the groups.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Relative variations of blood cell counts after hyperbaric exposure in the low-risk population. *Denotes p < 0.05 between paired groups and #denotes p = 0.066 between unpaired groups.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Pro inflammatory cytokines and markers of oxidative stress in the blood of the low-risk population. *Denotes p < 0,05 between the groups.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Summary of the effects of intestinal fermentation on the risk of decompression sickness.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Distribution of rats in experimental groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Nishi, R. Y., Brubakk, A. O. & Eftedal, O. S. Bubble detection in The Bennett and Elliot’s Physiology and Medicine of Diving edited by Brubbak, A. O. & Neuman, T. S. pp. 501–529 (WB Saunders, London, 2003).
    1. Bert, P. La pression barométrique. [Barometric pressure] (Masson, 1878).
    1. Blatteau JE, Souraud JB, Gempp E, Boussuges A. Gas nuclei, their origin, and their role in bubble formation. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2006;77(10):1068–1076. - PubMed
    1. Vallee N, Gaillard S, Peinnequin A, Risso JJ, Blatteau JE. Evidence of cell damages caused by circulating bubbles: high level of free mitochondrial DNA in plasma of rats. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2013;115:1526–1532. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00025.2013. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Francis, T. J. & Mitchell, S. J. Pathophysiology of decompression sickness in Bennett and Elliott’s Physiology and Medicine of Diving, edited by Brubakk, A. O. & Neuman, T. S., pp. 530–556 (WB Saunders, London, 2003).

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources