Fluid shifts during initial phase of immersion diuresis in man

The object was to study fluid shifts in man during the 1st h of immersion diuresis. Control experiments were done on subjects lying down in air for 4 h with and without vasopressin. During immersion up to the neck, seven of nine subjects had significant diuresis and natriuresis. In the first 20 min of sitting in 33 degress C water, a hemodilution of 2% of blood volume was observed. As diuresis progressed, hemoconcentration began. When vasopressin was given just before immersion to prevent the diuresis, the hemodilution observed was greater and lasted longer. Thus the hematocrit fell by 1.7 U, plasma osmolality by 6.0 mosmol/kg, plasma proteins by 0.33 g/100 ml, and plasma sodium by 5.0 meq/l. We conclude that a hemodilution of about 4% of blood volume occurs during the early plasma of immersion and the degree of hyposmolality observed suggests that the fluid shifted was more hyposmotic than the interstitial fluid alone, possibly because some intracellular water may have shifted into the bloodstream during immersion.