ABSTRACT
This study was purposed to investigate the changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis pathways in rabbits suffered from the acute decompression sickness(DCS). Model of DCS in rabbits was established. Survival rate and symptoms of DCS in animal model was monitored. The prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen (Fib), fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) and D-dimers were measured before compression and at 0, 3, 24 hours after decompression by latex agglutination semiquantitative methods. The changes of plasmin-antiplasmin complex (PAP), fibrinopeptide A (FPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and thrombomodulin (TM) were measured by ELISA at different time points after decompression. The results showed that the model of DCS in rabbits was successfully established. There was a statistically significant extension in APTT, TT, increase of Fib concentration at 15 minutes after decompression, the changes were peaked at 3 hours and recovered at 24 hours after decompression. The concentration of FDP significantly decreased at 3 hours after decompression. The concentration of D-dimers significantly increased at 24 hours after decompression in rabbits model with DCS. FPA concentration was significantly increased at 15 minutes and recovered at 24 hours after decompression. PAP concentration was increased after decompression, but had no significant changes. PAI-1 could not be detected. TM significantly increased after decompression. It is concluded that the acute DCS significantly impacts on blood coagulation system in rabbit model. It is shown that hypocoagulation occurred at initial time and hyperfibrinolysis subsequently, which varied with time. The damage of blood vessel endothelium may be one of the causes of these variations.