Role of cardiac nerves in response to head-out water immersion in conscious dogs

The circulatory, renal, and hormonal responses during 100 min of thermoneutral (37°C) head-out water immersion (WI) were investigated in conscious intact (INT) and cardiac-denervated (CD) dogs. In the INT group, both left and right atrial and aortic transmural distending pressures and left ventricular contractile performance (LV dP/dt(max)) increased, and total peripheral resistance remained unchanged. Cardiac output (Q̇(CO)) increased in association with an increase in heart rate and LV dP/dt(max). Urine flow (V̇), sodium excretion (I(Na)V̇), and osmolal clearance (C(osmol)) all increased, whereas glomerular filtration rate, as indicated by creatinine clearance (C(Cr)), remained constant. The diuresis and natriuresis occurred in the absence of any significant changes in plasma levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), aldosterone, or plasma renin activity. The CD animals showed a similar hemodynamic response except that the increase in Q̇(CO) was now associated with an increase in stroke volume and no change in heart rate or LV dP/dt(max). Although the increase in V̇ was similar in both magnitude and time course of the INT animals, there was no significant change in U(na)V̇. Thus there is a striking change in the character of the response of the denervated group in that the natriuresis is abolished and, instead, a water diuresis occurred. Free water clearance increased, but no significant changes in C(osmol) or C(Cr) were observed. In addition plasma ADH levels significantly declined during WI in the CD group. These data indicate that cardiac receptors are important in determining the nature of the renal response to WI.