CHANGES IN BLOOD LIPID CONCENTRATION AND CELL COUNTS FOLLOWING DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS IN RATS AND THE INFLUENCE OF DIETARY LIPID

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Abstract
The effects were studied of dietary fat, alimentary lipemia, and a lipemia-clearing agent (partially depolymerized hyaluronic acid) upon decompression sickness by means of a standardized technique which produces a high incidence of "bends" in rats of suitable weight. Hematological changes were studied in rats fed meals of different fat contents and in rats with bends of different severities. The results indicated that alimentary lipemia increased susceptibility to bends; that this trend could be reversed partially with a lipemia-clearing agent; and that platelet counts decreased (i) after a fatty meal, (ii) after decompression, and (iii) after an attack of bends. In rats which were severely affected with aeroembolism both platelet counts and plasma lipids (as indicated by the plasma optical density) were greatly reduced and marked hemoconcentration was observed. It is postulated that intravascular bubbles triggered the aggregation of platelets and that lipemia, which increases platelet adhesiveness, exaggerated this effect. The obstruction of small vessels by thrombi composed of bubbles, platelets, and lipids could cause a loss of fluid from the vascular bed with subsequent hemoconcentration.