Altitude decompression sickness between 6858 and 9144 m following a 1-h prebreathe.

Introduction: The zero prebreathe altitude threshold for developing 5% decompression sickness (DCS) symptoms in men has been reported to be 6248 m (20,500 ft). However, such an altitude threshold when 1 h of oxygen prebreathe is used has not been well documented and was the primary purpose of this study.

Methods: The 51 male human subjects were exposed to 9144 m (30,000 ft), 8382 m (27,500 ft), 7620 m (25,000 ft), and/or 6858 m (22,500 ft) for 8 h. They were monitored for symptoms of DCS and venous gas emboli (VGE).

Results: DCS symptom incidence after 4 h of exposure decreased with exposure altitude from 87% at 9144 m to 26% at 6858 m. VGE were lower during the 4-h 6858-m exposures (32%) than at the higher altitudes (76-85%). The symptom incidences during the first 4 h of exposure were lower at 6858 m and 7620 m following a 1-h prebreathe as compared with analogous zero-prebreathe exposures. There were no differences between incidences of VGE or DCS at any of the four altitudes after 8 vs. 4 h of exposure.

Conclusion: The altitude threshold for 5% DCS symptoms is below 6858 m after 1 h of prebreathe. However, during 6858-m and 7620-m exposures, a 1-h prebreathe is highly beneficial in reducing DCS incidence and delaying the onset of DCS, keeping the incidence to less than 6% during the first 90 min of exposure. Use of 4-h vs. 8-h exposures does not appear to underestimate DCS risk at or above 7620 m.