Increased PGE2 excretion by dDAVP in humans depends on state of hydration

The relationship of renal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) excretion (UPGEV) to water deprivation, water diuresis, and subsequent antidiuresis by 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP) was studied in female volunteers. After 16 h of water deprivation, the subjects began a sustained water diuresis for 8 h. This diuresis caused a transient twofold rise in UPGEV at 2 h (P less than 0.05), which then fell back to or below baseline levels. dDAVP given during the water diuresis caused a transient rise of UPGEV as urine volume decreased and plasma osmolality fell from 277 +/- 1.5 to 271 +/- 2 mosmol/kg (P less than 0.01). Another group of subjects had the water diuresis discontinued after 4 h with dDAVP given at the 5th h when urine volume was decreasing and urine osmolality was increasing. In this setting dDAVP did not produce as great a fall in plasma osmolality nor did it increase UPGEV. These data indicate that renal prostaglandin synthesis (as determined by UPGEV) is increased transiently by an acute water load; dDAVP given during continued water ingestion results in a fall in plasma osmolality and increased PGE excretion; however, dDAVP does not increase UPGEV during normal hydration; and UPGEV is independent of changes in urine flow. These findings imply that renal prostaglandins may have a functional role in humans to inhibit the hydroosmotic actions of antidiuretic hormone, and thus hasten the excretion of a water load, and to prevent overhydration when inappropriate antidiuresis occurs. However, there is no evidence that the stimulus for prostaglandin production is dDAVP per se.