THE EFFECT OF POSTURE (STANDING) ON THE SERUM PROTEIN CONCENTRATION AND COLLOID OSMOTIC PRESSURE OF BLOOD FROM THE FOOT IN RELATION TO THE FORMATION OF EDEMA

Abstract
Standing at an angle of 75[degree] for about 1 hr. increased serum protein concn. 18-40% and colloid osmotic pressure 29-65% in the blood in the foot of normal subjects. These increases were approximately twice as great as occurred in the blood in the arm. The volume of the leg increased from 3.11 to 4.87 cc. per 100 cc. of leg, but pitting edema did not occur in any of the strictly normal subjects. Patients with chronic (nutritional) edema showed essentially similar changes. Calculations based on the data suggest that an increase in tissue pressure was 3-5 times as important in limiting the loss of fluid from the blood as was the increase in colloid osmotic pressure.