Leukotriene-B4 concentrations in breathing condensate before and after simulated deep dives

During diving the respiratory tract is exposed to occupational hazards (increased oxygen partial pressure, pulmonary vessel engorgement during submersion, inert gas micro embolism during decompression). Leukotriene-B4 [LTB4] concentrations in the exhaled breath mirrors the inflammatory activity of the airways if the respiratory tract has been exposed to occupational hazards. In this study LTB4-concentrations in the exhaled breath and spirometry data obtained before and after simulated dives helped to elucidate any contributions by hyperbaric exposure to impaired lung function and to separate effects of ambient pressure from those of submersion and increased oxygen partial pressure. Thirty two healthy subjects carried out dives in a hyperbaric chamber using a cross over design to 600 kPa ambient pressure with and without submersion and a dry exposure to pure oxygen at 120 kPa ambient pressure (durations: 43 min). Pre-dive and four hours after surfacing the exhaled breath was collected non-invasively. Condensate was measured by a standard enzyme immuno-assay for LTB4 in parallel with lung function values (FVC, FEV1, MEF 25-75). Pre-exposure baseline values of LTB4-concentrations and lung function values were in the normal range. Post-exposure values did not differ significantly from the baseline values. The data gave no evidence of any inflammatory activity in the subjects' airways after hyperbaric exposure.