Human Bone Matrix Changes During Deep Saturation Dives
Abstract
In 1999, 8 U.S Navy divers underwent a dry hyperbaric chamber dive to 305 meters of seawater (msw). Measurements of serum osteocalcin and urine crosslinked N-telopeptide were made at baseline, 305 msw, and immediately after surfacing. The bone marker levels for the divers and volunteers were analyzed by repeated-measures ANOVA, with planned comparisons made between markers and dive phase. The data for the 1999 dive revealed a significant decrease in urine Ntx, with no change in serum osteocalcin. Data from the 1999 dive were combined in a Meta-analysis with Ntx and osteocalcin measurements taken during two similar 305 msw dive profiles conducted in 1997 and 1998. The Meta-analysis revealed a reduction in serum osteocalcin following saturation at 305 msw but no significant change in Ntx at depth. Taken together these studies may have identified a response of bone metabolism to changes in ambient pressure, however questions still remain as to whether blood sample handling/decompression procedures during the 1998 dive affected the Meta-analysis results for osteocalcin.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 08, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA484925
Entities
People
- David Fothergill
- John Sims
- Michael Waltz
- Robert Perkins
- Ronny Jackson
Organizations
- Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory