Failure of water immersion to influence parathyroid hormone secretion and renal phosphate handling in normal man

Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that the redistribution of blood volume and concomitant relative central hypervolemia induced by water immersion to the neck (NI) results in a significant natriuresis which is quantitatively identical to that induced by the acute administration of 2 L. of saline. Since the central hypervolemia induced by NI occurs without concomitant alterations in serum ionized calcium concentration (Ca++), the NI model was utilized to assess the role of volume in the regulation of PTH secretion in man. Seven normal subjects were studied following 11 hours of dehydration on two occasions, control and NI. The conditions of seated posture and time of day were identical. Blood for ionized calcium and PTH was obtained at 30-minute intervals for 6 hours. NI resulted in a significant increase in UNaV from a prestudy value of 78 +/- 12 (S.E.M.) to 222 +/- 20 muEq per minute (p less than 0.001). Concomitantly, Ca++ remained constant, ranging between 4.57 to 4.71 mg. per cent. Despite the volume-induced natriuresis, PTH was not altered throughout 5 hours of NI, ranging from 36 +/- 7 to 45 +/- 5 mul-Eq. per milliliter. Phosphate excretion remained constant. These data indicate that central volume expansion does not alter PTH in normal man when the variables of ionized calcium, posture, and time of day are controlled. Furthermore, the current demonstration of the absence of phosphaturia during immersion despite the probability that the distal delivery of phosphate was enhanced, permits consideration of the possibility that the concept of a distal tubular reabsorptive site for phosphate may be applicable to man.