Objective To investigate variations of plasma renin activity, a prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) during 21 d -6 degrees head-down tilt (HDT) with and without lower body negative pressure (LBNP).
Method: -6 degrees head-down tilt for 21 d were used to simulate weightlessness. 12 healthy male, aged 23.7 +/- 5.0, were equally and randomly divided into control group (CON) and LBNP group. The latter subjected to LBNP (-30 mm Hg, 1 h/d) in the last week of HDT. Samples of plasma were taken before HDT and on the 2nd, 4th, 11th and 22nd day during HDT.
Result: Compare to control levels, Ald declined significantly on the 2nd (CON -30%, P < 0. 05; V. S. LBNP -38%, P < 0.01), and increased significantly on the 11th day (CON +30%, P < 0.05; LBNP +48%, P < 0.01). PRA reached peak value on the 4th day (P < 0.05), and declined to below the control level on the 22nd day. PGI2 increased constantly during HDT, and increased significantly on the 22nd day (CON P < 0.01), 11th, 22nd (LBNP P < 0.05). No apparent difference was found between groups after LBNP concerning PRA and Ald; and PGI2 didn't increase further in LBNP group. Conclusion HDT induced a timely increasing in PRA and Ald, constant increasing in PGI2.