Initial renal responses of nonhuman primate to immersion and intravascular volume expansion

Experiments were performed in anesthetized Macaca fascicularis monkeys to determine if the initial renal responses of these animals to head-out vertical water immersion and isoncotic, isotonic volume expansion are similar, especially with regard to the onset of any changes in solute or water excretion. Significant increases in urine flow, sodium excretion, and osmolar clearance occurred after 10 min of immersion but not until 30 min after volume expansion. Potassium excretion increased during immersion but decreased after volume expansion. Mean arterial blood pressure increased after 30 min of immersion but was unchanged after volume expansion. Indices of vascular filling, central venous pressure in the immersed animals and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in the volume-expanded animals, increased immediately after the intervention. Effective renal plasma flow increased in both groups but glomerular filtration rate was not consistently elevated. These results suggest that, in the nonhuman primate, immersion and volume expansion exert their renal effects through different afferent and/or efferent mechanisms and should not be considered as similar volume stimuli.