Effect of water immersion on renal natriuretic peptide (urodilatin) excretion in humans

We examined 1) the effect of thermoneutral (34.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C) water immersion to the neck (WI) in humans on the temporal profile of renal urodilatin [atrial natriuretic peptide- (ANP) (95-126)] excretion and 2) the relationship between urodilatin and urinary fluid (V) and sodium (UNaV) excretion. Eight normal subjects underwent 12 h of WI, and another group of eight were studied during seated control conditions. The subjects ingested 200 ml of tap water hourly. WI induced an increase in renal urodilatin and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) excretion, V, and UNaV. After peak values were attained between the 2nd and 5th h of WI, urodilatin and cGMP excretion, V, and UNaV returned toward preimmersion and control levels. At the 12th h of WI, urodilatin and cGMP excretion and V were indistinguishable from preimmersion values but were significantly elevated compared with the control values. UNaV was maintained elevated compared with both preimmersion and control values. During WI, positive and statistically significant linear correlations could be established between V and renal urodilatin excretion in six subjects and between UNaV and urodilatin excretion in four subjects. We conclude that WI induces an increase in the rate of renal urodilatin excretion, attaining a peak value at the 3rd h followed by an attenuation toward preimmersion and control levels. Furthermore, urodilatin might participate as one of several mechanisms of the natriuresis and diuresis of WI in humans.