title: Comparison of a 4-day confinement and head-down tilt on endocrine response and cardiovascular variability in humans.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a 4-day head-down tilt (HDT; -6 degrees) and 4-day confinement on several indicators that might reflect a state of cardiovascular deconditioning on eight male subjects. Measurements were made of endocrine responses, heart rate variability and spontaneous baroreflex response (SBR) slope before, during and after each intervention. Plasma volume decreased by 10 percent after the 4-day HDT. The concentration of active renin was increased and that of urinary atrial natriuretic peptide decreased during the 4-day experiment in both groups. Plasma arginine vasopressin concentration decreased significantly only after 4-day confinement. After the 4-day HDT, one of the spectrum analysis parameters was statistically changed: the parasympathetic indicator decreased significantly (P <0.05) whereas the sympathetic indicator and the total power spectrum were unaltered. After 4-day confinement spectrum analysis parameters were not statistically altered. A significant decrease of SBR (P <0.05) was noticed only after the 4-day HDT. These data would suggest that exposure to a 4-day HDT was sufficient to induce a cardiovascular deconditioning which may have been induced by confinement and inactivity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie de l'Environnment, Faculte de Medecine Lyon Grange-Blanche, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sigaudo
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Fortrat
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maillet
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Allevard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pavy-Le Traon
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hughson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guell
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gharib
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gauquelin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology; D001510:Bed Rest; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D004702:Endocrine Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D018475:Head-Down Tilt; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010953:Plasma Volume
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones