Dynamic Aspects of Sodium Metabolism in Experimental Adrenal Insufficiency Using Radioactive Sodium

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Abstract
Na24 has been employed to study Na turnover in acute adrenal insufficiency. Erythrocyte Na turnover was measured in 11 normal and in 5 bilaterally adrenalectomized dogs in insufficiency. Although the trend was toward a more rapid turnover rate in dogs in insufficiency, no statistically significant difference appeared in this small series. The relative activities of liver, muscle, heart, gut and skin for dogs in adrenal insufficiency were not different from normal at the time intervals measured; however, if such differences exist they might have been masked because the tissues were sampled at times when they were near Na24 equilibrium with the extracellular fluid. The radioactivity data indicate that Na metabolism in bone is drastically altered in adrenal insufficiency since both the height and shape of the relative specific activity curve for bone in the insufficient dog are obviously different from normal.