Pulsatile secretion pattern of vasopressin under basal conditions, after water deprivation, and during osmotic stimulation in dogs.

Measurement of plasma osmolality (Posm) and plasma vasopressin (VP) concentration in response to hypertonicity is regarded as the gold standard for the assessment of VP release in polyuric conditions. Yet the interpretation of the VP curve as a function of Posm may be hampered by the occurrence of VP pulses. To determine whether VP is secreted in a pulsatile fashion in the dog and whether stimulation of VP release changes the secretion pattern of VP, we measured VP at 2-min intervals for 2 h under basal conditions, after 12 h of water deprivation, and during osmotic stimulation with hypertonic saline (20%) in eight healthy dogs. Vasopressin was secreted in a pulsatile fashion with a wide variation in number of VP pulses, VP pulse duration, and VP pulse amplitude and height. After water deprivation, total and basal VP secretion, the number of significant VP pulses, as well as the pulse characteristics did not differ from the basal situation. During osmotic stimulation, there was a large increase in both basal and pulsatile VP secretion, and the number of VP pulses and VP pulse height and amplitude were significantly increased. The VP pulse amplitude correlated significantly with the basal plasma VP concentration during osmotic stimulation. It is concluded that VP is secreted in a pulsatile manner in healthy dogs. The basal and pulsatile VP secretion increases during osmoreceptor-mediated stimulation. The VP pulses may occur to the magnitude that they may be interpreted as erratic bursts, when occurring in the hypertonic saline infusion test. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.