The fluid and electrolyte regulation experiment with seven subjects was designed to describe body fluid, renal, and fluid regulatory hormone responses during the Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (9 days) and -2 (14 days) missions. Total body water did not change significantly. Plasma volume (PV; P < 0.05) and extracellular fluid volume (ECFV; P < 0.10) decreased 21 h after launch, remaining below preflight levels until after landing. Fluid intake decreased during weightlessness, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) increased in the first 2 days and on day 8 (P < 0.05). Urinary antidiuretic hormone (ADH) excretion increased (P < 0.05) and fluid excretion decreased early in flight (P < 0.10). Plasma renin activity (PRA; P < 0.10) and aldosterone (P < 0.05) decreased in the first few hours after launch; PRA increased 1 wk later (P < 0.05). During flight, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentrations were consistently lower than preflight means, and urinary cortisol excretion was usually greater than preflight levels. Acceleration at launch and landing probably caused increases in ADH and cortisol excretion, and a shift of fluid from the extracellular to the intracellular compartment would account for reductions in ECFV. Increased permeability of capillary membranes may be the most important mechanism causing spaceflight-induced PV reduction, which is probably maintained by increased GFR and other mechanisms. If the Gauer-Henry reflex operates during spaceflight, it must be completed within the first 21 h of flight and be succeeded by establishment of a reduced PV set point.

To determine whether the body fluid shift from the lower limbs toward the head that occurs during spaceflight leads to lasting increases of venous pressure in the upper body, venous pressure and hematocrit measurements were made on four astronauts before flight and 1 and 12 hours after recovery and compared with measurements in space. During the mission the hematocrit was elevated and the venous pressure lowered by 1 to 8 centimeters of water as compared with the preflight data. One hour after landing the hematocrit decreased, indicating a hemodilution, venous pressures were unexpectedly high, and a body weight loss of 4 to 5 percent was observed. Twelve hours later the venous pressures were the lowest recorded during the study. The fluid shift apparently takes place during the first several hours of spaceflight. Thereafter, the pressure in the peripheral veins and the central circulation is lower than that measured before flight.

A significant postflight reduction in the circulating red cell mass has been observed in both the American and Soviet manned programs. The mechanism and etiology of this loss were studied in blood samples from the four payload crewmen of Spacelab 1 taken before, during, and after flight. These samples and samples from control groups on the ground were analyzed for selected hematological and biochemical parameters, which were chosen on the basis of data previously collected, the restraints imposed by the use of human subjects, and the guidelines established for the first Spacelab mission. Twenty-two hours after weightless exposure, there was an increase in hemoglobin and hematocrit. On day 7 in flight, the hemoglobin and hematocrit remained high and there was a slight decrease in reticulocyte number. On landing, red cell mass, plasma volume, hematocrit, and reticulocyte number were decreased. Throughout the 2-week postflight sampling period, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and reticulocyte number remained below the preflight value. Since this crew was not exposed to 100 percent oxygen these results are viewed as evidence that other spaceflight factors cause the measured red cell mass reduction.

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An analysis of data from the three Skylab missions was performed to assess the lean body mass (LBM) and fat components of inflight body weight loss. Six methods for determining LBM were employed based on changes in total body water, total body potassium, nitrogen balance, potassium balance, and stereophotometric-body density. Those based solely on body potassium, and potassium and nitrogen balances (when expressed as shifts from preflight control), consistently overestimated LBM loss unless appropriate corrections were made. The average results from the various methods indicated that of a mean inflight total body weight loss of 2.7 +/- 0.3 kg (SD) for all nine crewmembers, more than half (1.5 +/- 0.3 kg) can be attributed to loss of LBM (including 1.1 kg body water), the remainder (1.2 +/- 0.3 kg) being derived from fat stores. The reduction of LBM appeared to be complete after the first month of flight and thereafter was largely independent of mission duration, diet, and exercise.

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