Dissociation of Aldosterone and 17-Hydroxycorticosteroid (17-OHCS) Release During Water Immersion in Normal Man,

Abstract

Summary Since previous studies have demonstrated a profound suppression of the renin—aldosterone system during water immersion in man, the specificity of this suppression of adrenal function was assessed. Urinary aldosterone and 17-OHCS release were simultaneously measured in six normal subjects studied during a control period and during water immersion under identical conditions of diet, posture, and time of day. There was a marked decrease in aldosterone excretion during immersion and during the initial 2 hr of recovery (p<.005). In contrast, neither urinary nor plasma 17-OHCS was significantly altered by immersion. The dissociation observed between the effects of immersion on aldosterone and 17-OHCS activity suggests that the suppression of the reninaldosterone system is selective and further supports the concept of independent control of adrenal mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid secretion.