Interdependence of decompression sickness and plasma enzymes on dive profile and vitamin B-6 status.

The mortality rate due to decompression injury was found to be significantly greater in a rat population with a mild vitamin B-6 deficiency, compared to an adequately fed control group, when subjected to a bends-producing N2-O2 dive. Relative post-dive changes in lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, and transaminase levels in plasma do not appear to be sufficiently different to allow a ready distinction in the degree of susceptibility of one nutritionally defined population from the other.