[Study on testing method of susceptibility to decompression sickness in aerospace].

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Human Physiology
• Space Exploration

Background:

• Decompression sickness poses a risk to astronauts during space missions.
• Understanding individual susceptibility is crucial for astronaut safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify physiological parameters predicting decompression sickness risk in astronauts.
• To establish pre-flight testing protocols for astronaut decompression susceptibility.

Main Methods:

• 43 subjects were exposed to hypobaric conditions simulating high altitude.
• Decompression sickness incidence was monitored under various prebreathing oxygen durations.
• Physiological data including age, body fat, blood cholesterol, and urinary noradrenaline were collected.

Main Results:

• Incidence of decompression sickness correlated with age, oxygen prebreathing time, and venous gas embolism.
• Older subjects (30-36 years) exhibited higher incidence than younger subjects (19-20 years).
• Increased prebreathing time significantly reduced decompression sickness incidence.

Conclusions:

• A 1-hour oxygen prebreathing protocol before 10,000m exposure is recommended for astronaut screening.
• Testing susceptibility to decompression sickness aids in astronaut selection and mission safety.
• Physiological factors like age and metabolic markers influence decompression risk.