Log linear relationship between plasma arginine vasopressin and plasma osmolality

The integrated plasma arginine vasopressin concentration (IpAVP) was determined by pooling the results of single samples collected every 3 min for 0.5 h in dehydrated, randomly hydrated, and water-loaded sheep. A linear relationship was observed between the log of the integrated AVP concentration and plasma osmolality. This relationship was tested by the bolus injection of 20 g/100 ml NaCl to both water-loaded and randomly hydrated sheep. The rise in the log of IpAVP divided by the rise in plasma osmolality was similar in both groups (P greater than 0.5) and was superimposable upon the regression line derived from steady-state observations. The data would suggest that AVP is released as an exponential function of plasma osmolality rather than as a threshold phenomenon.