Thirst and fluid regulatory responses to hypertonicity in older adults

To assess the fluid regulatory responses in aging adults, we measured thirst perception and osmoregulation during and after infusion of hypertonic NaCl) saline in older (72 +/- 2 yr, n = 6) and younger (26 +/- n = 6) subjects. Hypertonic saline was infused at 0.1 min-1.kg-1 for 120 min. On a separate day, the same subjects were infused identically with isotonic saline as a control. After infusion and a 30-min equilibration period, the drank water ad libitum for 180 min. Hypertonic infusion led to graded increases in plasma osmolality (Posm; 18 +/- 2 and 20 +/- 2 mosmol/kgH2O) and percent changes plasma volume (16.2 +/- 1.9 and 18.0 +/- 1.2%) that were in older and younger subjects. Osmotically stimulated increases in thirst (94.8 +/- 18.9 and 88.3 +/- 25.6 mm), assessed on a line rating scale, and plasma arginine vasopressin concentration (6.08 +/- 1.50 and 4.51 +/- 1.37 pg/ml, for older younger, respectively) were also unaffected by age. subsequent hypervolemia, both groups of subjects sufficient water to restore preinfusion levels of Posm. Renal handling of free water and sodium was also unaffected by age during recovery from hypertonic saline infusion, but was significantly lower in older subjects during recovery from saline infusion, resulting in net fluid retention and a significant fall in Posm (6 mosmol/kgH2O). In contrast to earlier reports of a blunted thirst response to dehydration hypertonicity, we found that osmotically stimulated thirst and renal osmoregulation were intact in older adults after hypertonic saline infusion.