Erythropoietin and autologous blood pre-donation.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to N V Olsen.
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OBJECTIVE: We describe a case of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) following the use of physical restraint in a patient with a diagnosis of acute delusional psychotic disorder. METHOD: A new case report of DVT and PE associated with prolonged physical restraint is presented. The literature on physical restraint, DVT, and PE was reviewed using a search of Medline and Psychinfo from 1966 to the present. RESULTS: Four other reported cases of DVT and PE were found in association with physically restrained patients. CONCLUSION: Risk of DVT and PE in association with immobilization during physical restraint may occur in spite of no pre-existing risk factors. Medical guidelines for the prevention of thrombosis following physical restraint are presented. Despite the absence of controlled trials of treatment effectiveness, the catastrophic outcome of DVT and PE warrants early and vigorous intervention in patients undergoing physical restraint.
After aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), the clinical outcome depends upon the primary haemorrhage and a number of secondary insults in the acute post-haemorrhagic period. Some secondary insults are potentially preventable but prevention requires prompt recognition of cerebral or systemic complications. Currently, several neuro-monitoring techniques are available; this review describes the most frequently used techniques and discusses indications for their use, and their value in diagnosis and prognosis. None of the techniques, when considered in isolation, has proved sufficient after SAH. Furthermore, the use of multi-modality monitoring is hampered by a lack of clinical studies that identify combinations of specific techniques in terms of clinical information and reliability. However, ischaemia at the tissue level can be detected by intracerebral microdialysis technique. Used together with the conventional monitoring systems, for example intracranial pressure measurements, transcranial Doppler ultrasound and modern neuro-imaging, direct assessment of biochemical markers by intracerebral microdialysis is promising in the advancement of neurointensive care of patients with SAH. A successfully implemented monitoring system provides answers but it also raises valuable new questions challenging our current understanding of the brain injury after SAH.
AIMS: This study examined the 131I-hippuran extraction fraction during baseline renal blood flow rates and at high flow rates induced by dopamine. METHODS: In 12 healthy subjects, arterial and renal venous sampling was used to measure the renal extraction of 131I-hippuran. Effective renal plasma flow values determined by the urinary clearance of 131I-hippuran were compared with renal plasma flow values corrected for incomplete extraction of 131I-hippuran. RESULTS: Dopamine (3 micro g kg-1 min-1) decreased 131I-hippuran extraction from 75 +/- 4% at baseline to 62 +/- 6% (means +/- 95% confidence intervals, P < 0.001). Hence, the increase in renal plasma flow (85 +/- 23%) greatly exceeded the rise in effective renal plasma flow (51 +/- 15%, P < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Dopamine induced increases in renal blood flow are largely under-estimated when measurements are not corrected for incomplete extraction of 131I-hippuran.
The present study investigated the effect of a single bout of exhaustive exercise on the generation of DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage under normal conditions and at high-altitude hypoxia (4559 meters for 3 days). Twelve healthy subjects performed a maximal bicycle exercise test; lymphocytes were isolated for analysis of DNA strand breaks and oxidatively altered nucleotides, detected by endonuclease III and formamidipyridine glycosylase (FPG) enzymes. Urine was collected for 24 h periods for analysis of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage. Urinary excretion of 8-oxodG increased during the first day in altitude hypoxia, and there were more endonuclease III-sensitive sites on day 3 at high altitude. The subjects had more DNA strand breaks in altitude hypoxia than at sea level. The level of DNA strand breaks further increased immediately after exercise in altitude hypoxia. Exercise-induced generation of DNA strand breaks was not seen at sea level. In both environments, the level of FPG and endonuclease III-sensitive sites remained unchanged immediately after exercise. DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage are probably produced by reactive oxygen species, generated by leakage of the mitochondrial respiration or during a hypoxia-induced inflammation. Furthermore, the presence of DNA strand breaks may play an important role in maintaining hypoxia-induced inflammation processes. Hypoxia seems to deplete the antioxidant system of its capacity to withstand oxidative stress produced by exhaustive exercise.
This study examined the effects of dopamine D(2)-receptor blockade on the early decrease in maximal heart rate at high altitude (4559 m). We also attempted to clarify the time-dependent component of this reduction and the extent to which it is reversed by oxygen breathing. Twelve subjects performed two consecutive maximal exercise tests, without and with oxygen supplementation respectively, at sea level and after 1, 3 and 5 days at altitude. On each study day, domperidone (30 mg; n=6) or no medication (n=6) was given 1 h before the first exercise session. Compared with sea level, hypoxia progressively decreased the maximal heart rate from day 1 and onwards; also, hypoxia by itself increased plasma noradrenaline levels after maximal exercise. Domperidone further increased maximal noradrenaline concentrations, but had no effect on maximal heart rate. On each study day at altitude, oxygen breathing completely reversed the decrease in maximal heart rate to values not different from those at sea level. In conclusion, dopamine D(2)-receptor blockade with domperidone demonstrates that hypoxic exercise in humans activates D(2)-receptors, resulting in a decrease in circulating levels of noradrenaline. However, dopamine D(2)-receptors are not involved in the hypoxia-induced decrease in the maximal heart rate. These data suggest that receptor uncoupling, and not down-regulation, of cardiac adrenoreceptors, is responsible for the early decrease in heart rate at maximal hypoxic exercise.
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Effects of urodilatin (5, 10, 20, and 40 ng. kg-1. min-1) infused over 2 h on separate study days were studied in eight normal subjects with use of a randomized, double-blind protocol. All doses decreased renal plasma flow (hippurate clearance, 13-37%) and increased fractional Li+ clearance (7-22%) and urinary Na+ excretion (by 30, 76, 136, and 99% at 5, 10, 20, and 40 ng. kg-1. min-1, respectively). Glomerular filtration rate did not increase significantly with any dose. The two lowest doses decreased cardiac output (7 and 16%) and stroke volume (10 and 20%) without changing mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate. The two highest doses elicited larger decreases in stroke volume (17 and 21%) but also decreased blood pressure (6 and 14%) and increased heart rate (15 and 38%), such that cardiac output remained unchanged. Hematocrit and plasma protein concentration increased with the three highest doses. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system was inhibited by the three lowest doses but activated by the hypotensive dose of 40 ng. kg-1. min-1. Plasma vasopressin increased by factors of up to 5 during infusion of the three highest doses. Atrial natriuretic peptide immunoreactivity (including urodilatin) and plasma cGMP increased dose dependently. The urinary excretion rate of albumin was elevated up to 15-fold (37 +/- 17 micrograms/min). Use of a newly developed assay revealed that baseline urinary urodilatin excretion rate was low (<10 pg/min) and that fractional excretion of urodilatin remained below 0.1%. The results indicate that even moderately natriuretic doses of urodilatin exert protracted effects on systemic hemodynamic, endocrine, and renal functions, including decreases in cardiac output and renal blood flow, without changes in arterial pressure or glomerular filtration rate, and that filtered urodilatin is almost completely removed by the renal tubules.
This study measured the pressor and plasma catecholamine response to local hypothermia during adaptation to hypobaric hypoxia. Eight healthy men were studied at rest and after 10 and 45 min of local cooling of one hand and forearm as well as after 30 min of rewarming at sea level and again 24 h and 5 days after rapid, passive transport to high altitude (4,559 m). Acute mountain sickness scores ranged from 5 to 16 (maximal attainable score: 20) on the first day but were reduced to 0-8 by the fifth day. Systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma epinephrine increased on day 1 at altitude compared with sea level but declined again on day 5, whereas diastolic and mean blood pressures continued to rise in parallel with plasma norepinephrine. With local cooling, an increased vasoactive response was seen on the fifth day at altitude. Very high pressures were obtained, and the pressure elevation was prolonged. Heart rate increased twice as much on day 5 compared with the other two occasions. Thoracic fluid index increased with cooling on day 5, suggesting an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. In conclusion, prolonged hypoxia seems to elicit an augmented pressor response to local cooling in the systemic and most likely also the pulmonary circulation.
Nabumetone, a newer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which preferentially blocks cyclo-oxygenase-2 activity, may be less nephrotoxic than indomethacin. This study tested whether nabumetone has effects different from those of indomethacin on exercise-induced changes in renal function and the renin-aldosterone system. In a randomized fashion, ten subjects were studied after indomethacin (100 mg), nabumetone (1 g) or no medication (control) administered orally at 22.00 hours on the day before each study day, and again at 8.00 hours upon arrival at the laboratory. Renal function was studied at baseline, during graded 20-min exercise sessions at 25%, 50% and 75% of the maximal oxygen uptake rate, and subsequently during two 1-h recovery periods. Heart rate, arterial blood pressure, cardiac output and plasma catecholamines at rest and during exercise were not altered by indomethacin or nabumetone. Indomethacin decreased urinary rates of excretion of 6-oxo-prostaglandin F(1alpha) (6-oxo-PGF(1alpha)) and thromboxane B(2) in all study periods. Nabumetone decreased 6-oxo-PGF(1alpha) excretion during and after exercise. Excretion rates for PGE(2) did not change. Neither indomethacin nor nabumetone changed baseline values or exercise-induced decreases in renal plasma flow or glomerular filtration rate. Indomethacin, but not nabumetone, decreased sodium excretion, urine flow rate and free water clearance. The renal response to exercise, however, remained unchanged. In contrast with nabumatone, indomethacin decreased the plasma renin concentration. Thus, during exercise, nabumetone may decrease the excretion of 6-oxo-PGF(1alpha) by inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase-1 or by inhibition of specific exercise-induced activation of cyclo-oxygenase-2, or both. None of the drugs changed the renal response to exercise. Inhibition by indomethacin of angiotensin II and thromboxane A(2) synthesis may, during exercise, counterbalance renal vasoconstriction caused by blockade of vasodilatory prostaglandins.
Exposure to acute hypoxia is associated with changes in body fluid homeostasis and plasma volume (PV). This study compared a dye dilution technique using Evans' blue (PV[Evans']) with a carbon monoxide (CO) rebreathing method (PV[CO]) for measurements of PV in ten normal subjects at sea level and again 24 h after rapid passive ascent to high altitude (4,350 m). Hypobaric hypoxia decreased arterial oxygen saturation to 79 (74-83)% (mean with 95% confidence intervals). The PV(Evans') remained unchanged from 3.49 (3.30-3.68) l at sea level to 3.46 (3.24-3.68) l at high altitude. In contrast PV(CO) decreased from 3.39 (3.17-3.61) l at sea level to 3.04 (2.75-3.33) l at high altitude (P < 0.05). Compared with sea level, this resulted in an increase of the mean bias between the two methods [from 0.11 (-0.05-0.27) l at sea level to 0.43 (0.26-0.60) l at high altitude] so that the ratio between PV(Evans') and PV(CO) increased from 1.04 (0.99-1.09) at sea level to 1.15 (1.06-1.24) at high altitude (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the two methods were not interchangeable as measures of hypoxia-induced changes in PV. The mechanism responsible for the bias remains unknown, but it is suggested that the results may reflect a redistribution of albumin caused by the combined effects in hypoxia of both an increased capillary permeability to albumin and a decrease in PV. As a result, the small perivascular compartment of albumin beyond the endothelium may increase without changes in the overall albumin distribution volume.
A role for vitamin D in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension has frequently been suggested, but acute direct effects on blood pressure, cardiac output, renal hemodynamics, or hormones have not previously been demonstrated. The rapid effects of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25-D) were assessed over 120 min after a bolus injection (0.02 microg/kg body weight) in eight men with essential hypertension and in nine healthy men. A placebo group of 10 healthy men was also included. Ionized calcium was monitored closely during the study, and was kept constant with a clamping technique. In the hypertensive patients, a transient increase in blood pressure and a reciprocal fall in cardiac output measured by a CO2 rebreathing technique (-15%, P < .05) were observed after 1,25-D injection. In the control group, both blood pressure and cardiac output remained unchanged. The glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and urinary sodium and water excretions were unchanged in both groups. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide at baseline were higher in the hypertensive patients than in the control subjects (P < .02); plasma levels of renin, aldosterone, norepinephrine, endothelin, and parathyroid hormone(1-84) were similar in the two groups. None of these hormones was affected during the observation time after the injection of 1,25-D. In conclusion, acute administration of 1,25-D caused a fast and likely nongenomic-mediated decrease in cardiac output in patients with essential hypertension, which together with a transient BP increase implies a 1,25-D-induced increase in total peripheral resistance. These data suggest an enhanced cardiovascular responsiveness to 1,25-D in hypertensive compared to healthy normotensive subjects.
1. Renal haemodynamics, lithium and sodium clearance were measured in 14 patients treated with recombinant interleukin-2 for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. 2. Patients were studied before and after 72 h of continuous intravenous infusion of recombinant interleukin-2 (18x10(6) i.u..24 h-1.m-2) and 48 h post therapy. Cardiac output was measured by impedance cardiography. Effective renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate were determined by the renal clearances of 131I-hippuran and 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (DTPA) respectively. Renal clearance of lithium (CLi) was used as an index of proximal tubular outflow. 3. Treatment caused a transient decrease in mean arterial blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance, but cardiac output remained unchanged. Renal blood flow decreased and renal vascular resistance increased during and after treatment. Sodium clearance decreased from 1.10 (0.63/1.19) ml/min to 0.17 (0.18/0.32) ml/min (P=0.003). Glomerular filtration rate remained unchanged, whereas the median CLi decreased from 26 (17/32) ml/min to 17 (10/21) ml/min (P=0.008). Calculated absolute proximal reabsorption rate of water increased from 63 (40/69) ml/min to 71 (47/82) ml/min (P=0.04). The urinary excretion rate of thromboxane B2 and the ratio between excretion rates of thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin-F1alpha increased by 98% (P=0.022) and 175% (P=0.022) respectively. 4. The study suggests a specific recombinant interleukin-2-induced renal vasoconstrictor effect. Changes in renal prostaglandin synthesis may contribute to the decrease in renal blood flow. The lithium clearance data suggest that an increased proximal tubular reabsorption rate may contribute to the decreased sodium clearance during recombinant interleukin-2 treatment.
The renal functional changes following infusion of dopamine are well documented. The most pronounced effect is the increase in renal blood flow and a marked natriuretic response. Due to its specific renal effects, dopamine has become one of the most frequently used drugs in the treatment of critically ill patients with low cardiac output states and/or acute oliguric renal failure. Pharmacological effects of dopamine are dose dependent. Low doses of dopamine predominantly stimulate dopaminergic receptors, but with increasing doses actions secondary to stimulation of adrenergic beta(1) and alpha receptors also appear. Dopamine receptors are classified into the D1 and the D2 subtype families. Stimulation of D1 receptors increases adenylate cyclase activity and intracellular levels of cAMP, whereas D2 receptor activation decrease or do not change adenylate cyclase activity. In the kidney, dopamine receptors have been localized in the renal vasculature except in glomeruli and in the tubules (the proximal tubule > macula densa > the loop of Henle > the distal tubule > collecting ducts). The postsynaptic D1 receptor mediates vasodilation by a direct mechanism, whereas the presynaptic D2 receptor indirectly may dilate the vessels by inhibition of norepinephrine release. Consistent with previous results in animals, the present haemodynamic studies revealed that dopamine in normal subjects elicits a dose dependent biphasic effect on the mean arterial blood pressure. With 1 and 2 micrograms/kg/min, a depressor effect resulted from a decrease in the diastolic pressure, whereas a pressor effect, seen with doses at and above 7.5 micrograms/kg/min, was mainly caused by elevations of the systolic pressure. The studies indicated that the increase in cardiac output at low doses of dopamine is secondary to a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance, independent of effects of beta(1) receptors on cardiac contractility and heart rate. Dose-response studies demonstrated that the dopamine-induced increase in effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) reaches its maximum at 3 micrograms/kg/min. The increase in ERPF remained unchanged by pretreatment with metoprolol, and a comparison of dopamine and dobutamine in doses producing similar increases in cardiac output demonstrated that only dopamine increased ERPF. These findings indicate that indirect haemodynamic effects secondary to increases in cardiac contractility and cardiac output do not contribute significantly to the increase in renal perfusion caused by dopamine. In normal subjects, acute hypoxaemia attenuated the renal vasodilating effect of dopamine. The well known natriuretic effect of dopamine was significantly expressed in all of our studies, in which doses ranging from 1 to 5 micrograms/kg/min caused about a two-fold increase in sodium excretion. At doses at and above 7.5 micrograms/kg/min which increased mean arterial pressure, dopamine further increased sodium clearance (CNa) while ERPF was decreasing, indicating the contribution of pressure natriuresis at these high doses. Although not affecting the percentage increase in CNa, metoprolol suppressed the absolute, maximal response to non-pressor doses of dopamine, suggesting that a reduced adrenergic beta(1) receptor activity may indirectly affect the natriuretic response, probably by decreasing renal perfusion pressure. Previous studies in animals demonstrated that dopamine natriuresis can occur independent of increases in ERPF and GFR, and, furthermore, that the response can be abolished by specific D1 receptor antagonists. Evidence obtained by in vitro studies indicated that dopamine via D1 receptors may inhibit the Na(+)-H+ antiport at the brush-border membrane of proximal tubular cells and the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity at basolateral membranes of both the proximal tubule and the medullary thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)
1. Exposure to altitude hypoxia elicits changes in glucose homeostasis with increases in glucose and insulin concentrations within the first few days at altitude. Both increased and unchanged hepatic glucose production (HGP) have previously been reported in response to acute altitude hypoxia. Insulin action on glucose uptake has never been investigated during altitude hypoxia. 2. In eight healthy, sea level resident men (27 +/- 1 years (mean +/- S.E.M); weight, 72 +/- 2 kg; height, 182 +/- 2 cm) hyperinsulinaemic (50 mU min-1 m-2), euglycaemic clamps were carried out at sea level, and subsequently on days 2 and 7 after a rapid passive ascent to an altitude of 4559 m. 3. Acute mountain sickness scores increased in the first days of altitude exposure, with a peak on day 2. Basal HGP did not change with the transition from sea level (2.2 +/- 0.2 mg min-1 kg-1) to altitude (2.0 +/- 0.1 and 2.1 +/- 0.2 mg min-1 kg-1, days 2 and 7, respectively). Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake rate was halved on day two compared with sea level (4.5 +/- 0.6 and 9.8 +/- 1.1 mg min-1 kg-1, respectively; P < 0.05), and was partly restored on day 7 (7.4 +/- 1.4 mg min-1 kg-1; P < 0.05 vs. day two and sea level). Concentrations of glucagon and growth hormone remained unchanged, whereas glucose, C-peptide and cortisol increased on day 2. Noradrenaline concentrations increased during the stay at altitude, while adrenaline concentrations remained unchanged. In response to insulin infusion, catecholamines increased on day 2 (noradrenaline and adrenaline) and day 7 (adrenaline), but not at sea level. 4. In conclusion, insulin action decreases markedly in response to two days of altitude hypoxia, but improves with more prolonged exposure. HGP is always unchanged. The changes in insulin action may in part be explained by the changes in counter-regulatory hormones.
Serum concentrations of interleukin (IL) 1 beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined in ten healthy men at sea level and during four days of altitude hypoxia (4350m above sea level). The mean (SD) arterial blood oxygen saturations were 78.6 (7.3)%, 82.4 (4.9)%, and 83.4 (5.3)% in the first, second, and third days at altitude, respectively. A symptom score of acute mountain sickness (AMS) revealed that the subjects had mostly light symptoms of AMS. Mean serum IL-6 increased from 1.36 (1.04) pg x ml(-1) at sea level to 3.10 (1.65), 4.71 (2.81), and 3,54 (2.17) pg x ml(-1) during the first three days at altitude, and to 9.96 (8.90) pg x ml(-1) on the fourth day at altitude (ANOVA p = 0.002). No changes occurred in serum concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-1ra, TNF alpha, or CRP. The serum IL-6 were related to SaO2, (r = -0.45, p = 0.003), but not to heart rates or AMS scores. In conclusion, human serum concentrations of IL-6 increased during altitude hypoxia whereas the other proinflammatory cytokines remained unchanged. The major role of IL-6 during altitude hypoxia seem not to be mediation of inflammation, instead, the role of IL-6 could be to stimulate the erythropoiesis at altitude.
AIMS: The purpose of the present study was to define the dose-response relationship between exogenous dopamine and systemic haemodynamics, renal haemodynamics, and renal excretory function at infusion rates in the range 0 to 12.5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) in normal volunteers. METHODS: While undergoing water diuresis, eight subjects were infused with 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7.5, 10 or 12.5 microg of dopamine kg(-1) min(-1) over 2 h in a randomized and double-blind fashion. On each study day, renal clearance studies were performed during a 1 h baseline period and subsequently during the second 1 h infusion period. Lithium clearance (CL(Li)) was used to estimate proximal tubular outflow. RESULTS: Cardiac output increased with the four highest doses. Mean arterial pressure followed a biphasic pattern with a decrease during the two lowest doses and a dose-dependent increase from the 7.5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) dose onwards. Effective renal plasma flow increased with all doses of dopamine, but peaked with the 3 microg kg(-1) min(-1) infusion rate [from 617 (585-649) ml min(-1) with placebo to 915 (824-1006) ml min(-1) (means with 95% CI, P<0.001)]. None of the doses changed glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Sodium clearance (CL(Na)) and CL(Li) were elevated with the four lowest doses but increased further from 7.5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) onwards. Compared with placebo, the percentage increase in CL(Na) with increasing dose was 77 (5-159), 93 (13-172), 107 (24-190), 121 (60-181), 253 (65-441), 284 (74-494), and 212 (111-312) %, respectively. There were only small, inconsistent decreases in absolute proximal reabsorption rate (APR = GFR-CL(Li)). Fractional distal reabsorption of sodium (FDR(Na) = (CL(Li)-CL(Na))/CL(Li)) decreased with all doses, reaching its nadir with 7.5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) [from 95.9 (94.6-97.2) % with placebo to 91.5 (90.0-93.0) % (P<0.01)] whereafter a flat dose-response curve was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the renal vasodilating effect of dopamine was maximal with 3 microg kg(-1) min(-1). The dose-dependent attenuation seen with higher doses is consistent with an increased alpha-adrenergic stimulation opposing the effect on dopaminergic receptors. The present CL(Li) studies confirm that dopamine increases proximal tubular outflow. The results suggest that the natriuretic effect of depressor doses of dopamine was primarily caused by attenuation of the increase in distal sodium reabsorption normally seen after an increase in proximal tubular outflow. Pressor doses further increased sodium excretion, indicating the presence of pressure natriuresis at these high doses.
This study tested the hypothesis that the diurnal variations of serum-erythropoietin concentration (serum-EPO) observed in normoxia also exist in hypoxia. The study also attempted to investigate the regulation of EPO production during sustained hypoxia. Nine subjects were investigated at sea level and during 4 days at an altitude of 4350 m. Median sea level serum-EPO concentration was 6 (range 6-13) U.l-1. Serum-EPO concentration increased after 18 and 42 h at altitude, [58 (range 39-240) and 54 (range 36-340) U.l-1, respectively], and then decreased after 64 and 88 h at altitude [34 (range 18-290) and 31 (range 17-104) U.l-1, respectively]. These changes of serum-EPO concentration were correlated to the changes in arterial blood oxygen saturation (r = -0.60, P = 0.0009), pH (r = 0.67, P = 0.003), and in-vivo venous blood oxygen half saturation tension (r = -0.68, P = 0.004) but not to the changes in 2, 3 diphosphoglycerate. After 64 h at altitude, six of the nine subjects had down-regulated their serum-EPO concentrations so that median values were three times above those at sea level. These six subjects had significant diurnal variations of serum-EPO concentration at sea level; the nadir occurred between 0800-1600 hours [6 (range 4-13) U.l-1], and peak concentrations occurred at 0400 hours [9 (range 8-14) U.l-1, P = 0.02]. After 64 h at altitude, the subjects had significant diurnal variations of serum-EPO concentration; the nadir occurred at 1600 hours [20 (range 16-26) U.l-1], and peak concentrations occurred at 0400 hours [31 (range 20-38) U.l-1, P = 0.02]. This study demonstrated diurnal variations of serum-EPO concentration in normoxia and hypoxia, with comparable time courses of median values. The results also suggested that EPO production at altitude is influenced by changes in pH and haemoglobin oxygen affinity.