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Antidiuretic hormone excretion at high altitude
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|January 1, 1981
Summary
Arginine vasopressin (AVP) excretion did not correlate with altitude changes or acute mountain sickness (AMS) in Himalayan climbers. This suggests AVP is not a primary factor in high-altitude fluid balance adjustments or AMS development.
Area of Science:
- High-altitude physiology
- Endocrinology
- Nephrology
Background:
- High altitude exposure alters fluid balance.
- The role of antidiuretic hormone (arginine vasopressin, AVP) in these changes is not fully understood.
- Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a common condition at high altitudes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate urinary excretion of electrolytes, creatinine, urea, and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in mountaineers ascending to high altitude.
- To determine the correlation between AVP excretion, altitude, and the occurrence of AMS symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Urinary samples were collected from eight Himalayan mountaineers during ascent from 1900m to 5400m.
- Samples were pooled to represent 24-hour collections and preserved.
- AVP was measured using radioimmunoassay.
Main Results:
- AVP excretion rates were generally in the lower normal range and did not correlate with increasing altitude.
- No correlation was found between AVP excretion and urine osmolality, electrolyte excretion, or AMS symptoms.
- AVP stability was confirmed under simulated storage conditions.
Conclusions:
- Arginine vasopressin (AVP) does not appear to play a primary role in fluid balance changes during high-altitude acclimatization.
- AVP is unlikely to be a key factor in the onset of acute mountain sickness (AMS).