In divers with a vascular disease in decompression sickness, who have not committed any technical error, thrombophilic risk factors were sought. Six cases of confirmed divers, without diving technical error, were investigated. Thrombophilic screening included proteins C, S, antithrombin III, and factor VIII assays, and circulating antibodies, Factor V Leiden, and mutation G20210A mutation in Factor II gene research. Total plasma homocysteine (Hcy), an atherosclerosis factor, even when slightly increased, nutitional factors: folate and vitamins B12 and B6, the cofactors of its metabolism, and inversely correlated with Hcy values, were assayed, and subjects were genotyped for mutation C677T in the MTHFR gene.
Results: In five divers, Hcy values were moderately increased, and in all the six, folate and/or B12 values were decreased. Three of them showed a genotype TT (mutation C677T), two, the genotype CT, and the sixth, an heterozygous Factor V Leiden. In these divers, a predisposition for vascular diseases, was detected, which was partially curable.