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There are conflicting reports on the effect of acid-base imbalance on the intracellular-extracellular distribution of potassium. The in vitro studies of Fenn and Cobb (1), and studies in dogs by Abrams, Lewis, and Bellet (2), Keating and his co-workers (3), and Pitts (4) suggest that metabolic acidosis results in a shift of potassium from the cells to the extracellular space, while metabolic alkalosis may lead to inward movement of potassium. In apparent contradiction, muscle analyses from Darrow's laboratory (5-8) demonstrate that muscle potassium is low in metabolic alkalosis and normal or slightly high in metabolic and respiratory acidosis. The findings of Darrow have been confirmed in metabolic alkalosis and acidosis by Cotlove, Holliday, Schwartz, and Wallace (9) and have led to the assumption that acidosis causes potassium to enter the cells and alkalosis causes potassium to leave the cells. These conflicting views may be due to a failure to separate the effect of acid-base imbalance on internal distribution of potassium from its effect on changes in total body potassium. This study attempts to separate these two effects by using inhalation of CO2 to alter pH in dogs with ligated ureters and in dogs with intact ureters. This technique has the advantage of maintaining the total body potassium at a nearly constant level and at the same time altering the pH without inducing volume changes in the extracellular space as a result of infusions of acidifying and alkalinizing salts.Respiratory acidosis resulted in a progressive rise over a four-hour period in the concentration of potassium in the extracellular space. This alteration in concentration ratio of potassium between the extracellular space and the cells persisted as long as the alteration in pH persisted.1 Supported by grants from Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois, Washington State Fund for Biology and Medicine, and Washington State Heart Association. MATERIAL AND METHODSAll experiments were performed on mongrel dogs lightly anesthetized with Nembutal@9. Respiratory acidosis was induced by inhalation of 30 per cent CO2 and 70 per cent 02 through a tight-fitting intratracheal catheter. Ventilation was well maintained and arterial oxygen unsaturation did not occur. Serial blood specimens were taken at frequent intervals with blood replacement.Respiratory acidosis was studied in ten dogs while ten additional anesthetized dogs served as controls. Five dogs from each group underwent bilateral ureteral ligation immediately prior to the experimental period. Experiments in dogs with respiratory acidosis and in control dogs lasted ten hours when the ureters were ligated and six hours when the ureters were intact. Changes in electrolyte balances and in plasma electrolyte levels were followed for the duration of the experiments. Accurate urine collections were insured by washing the bladder with water and air.Distribution of an intravenous potassium load was studied in ten additional dogs with intact ureters. Five control dogs and five dogs breathing 30 p...

Total, free (diffusible) and proteinbound salicylate concentrations were determined in synovial fluid samples obtained from 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and compared with simultaneously obtained plasma concentrations. Free salicylate concentrations were essentially identical in the two fluids, implying complete equilibrium. Both the total and protein-bound sdicylate concentrations were consistently lower in the synovial fluids than in the corresponding plasmas; this difference may be explained by the lower albumin concentration in the joint fluid.Le concentrationes de salicylato total, libere (diffusibile), e ligate a proteina esseva determinate in specimens de fluido synovial obtenite ab 12 patientes con arthritis rheumatoide, e esseva comparate con ie concentrationes in simultaneemente obtenite specimens de plasma. Le concentrationes de libere salicylato esseva essentialmente identic in le duo fluidos, lo que implica complete equilibrio. Le concentrationes de salicylato total e de salicylato ligate a proteina esseva uniformemente plus basse in le fluidos synovial que in le correspondente plasmas; iste differentia pote esser explicabile per le plus basse concentration de albumina in le fluido del articulationes.ESPITE the widespread use of salicylates in the treatment of rheuma-D toid arthritis, there is relatively little published information on their metabolism and distribution in body fluids in disease states. We have recently presented evidence that plasma concentrations of salicylate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are Iower than in normal subjects following an equivalent dose of intravenous sodium salicylate, and that there is no difference in the renal excretion of salicylate or its conjugates to account for this finding.l The possibility that salicylate is preferentially sequestered at sites of inflammation in rheumatoid patients, thus resulting in the observed lower plasma concentrations, seemed worthy of investigation. Such seques-

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