Adaptive response triggered by the repeated SCUBA diving is reflected in cardiovascular, muscular, and immune biomarkers

• Published in: Physiological reports 2021-01, Vol.9 (2), p.e14691-n/a
• Main Authors: Žarak, Marko, Perović, Antonija, Njire Bratičević, Marina, Šupraha Goreta, Sandra, Dumić, Jerka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological - physiology; Adult; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - metabolism; Cardiovascular System - metabolism; Compressed air; Diving; Diving - physiology; Endothelin-1 - metabolism; endothelin‐1; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Exercise; galectin‐3; Humans; IL‐6; Immune system; Immunity; Inflammation; Interleukin-6 - blood; Leukocyte Count - methods; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical laboratories; Middle Aged; Muscles - metabolism; myoglobin; Myoglobin - blood; Myoglobins; NT‐proBNP; Original Research; Physical fitness; Physiology; Plasma; Receptors, Immunologic - blood; Recreation; SCUBA diving; Statistical analysis; Vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 2051-817X
• DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14691

It has been shown that one recreational SCUBA (rSCUBA) diving session is sufficient to cause changes in plasma level of cardiovascular (CV) and muscular biomarkers. To explore whether repetitive rSCUBA diving triggers an adaptive response of the CV, muscular, and immune system, we measured the cardiac damage (NT‐proBNP, hs‐TnI, and CK‐MB), muscle damage (myoglobin (Mb), galectin‐3, CK, and LDH), vascular endothelial activation (ET‐1 and VEGF), and inflammatory (leukocyte count (Lkc), CRP, and IL‐6) biomarkers. A longitudinal intervention study included divers (N = 14) who conducted one dive per week over 5 weeks at the depth of 20–30 m for 30 min after a non‐dive period of 5 months. The blood samples were collected before and after the first, third, and fifth dives and specific biomarkers were measured in plasma or serum by the standard laboratory methods. The concentrations of the majority of measured biomarkers increased after every single dive; the exception was ET‐1 concentration that decreased. The cumulative effect of five dives has been reflected in diminishing changes in hs‐TnI, Mb, galectin‐3, ET‐1, VEGF, and IL‐6 levels, and more pronounced increases in NT‐proBNP and hs‐CRP levels. The median values of all measured biomarkers in all time points, except Mb, remained within the corresponding reference range. Repeatedly performed rSCUBA diving activates an adaptive response of the CV, muscular, and immune system that is reflected in changes in the specific biomarker concentration. Under challenging environmental conditions, stress forces organisms to adapt to the rapidly changing surroundings. This is the first study on the cumulative effect of rSCUBA diving on the blood concentration of the majority of the selected biomarkers. Repeatedly performed recreational SCUBA diving triggered activation of an adaptive response of the cardiovascular, muscular, and immune systems that were reflected in changes in the specific biomarkers. No clinically relevant impairment of any observed systems was seen, but all measured biomarkers showed different dynamics of change with repeatedly performed rSCUBA diving. Studies on the cumulative effect of recreational SCUBA diving should be carefully designed, because the frequency of repeated dives seems to be crucial for triggering the adaptive response that could be recorded by the blood levels of the specific biomarkers.