Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 63, Issue 6 2433-2437, Copyright © 1987 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Central venous pressure in humans during short periods of weightlessness

P. Norsk, N. Foldager, F. Bonde-Petersen, B. Elmann-Larsen and T. S. Johansen
Institute of Aerospace Medicine, University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Central venous pressure (CVP) was measured in 14 males during 23.3 +/- 0.6 s (mean +/- SE) of weightlessness (0.00 +/- 0.05 G) achieved in a Gulfstream-3 jet aircraft performing parabolic flight maneuvers and during either 60 or 120 s of +2 Gz (2.0 +/- 0.1 Gz). CVP was obtained using central venous catheters and strain-gauge pressure transducers. Heart rate (HR) was measured simultaneously in seven of the subjects. Measurements were compared with values obtained inflight at 1 G with the subjects in the supine (+1 Gx) and upright sitting (+1 Gz) positions, respectively. CVP was 2.6 +/- 1.5 mmHg during upright sitting and 5.0 +/- 0.7 mmHg in the supine position. During weightlessness, CVP increased significantly to 6.8 +/- 0.8 mmHg (P less than 0.005 compared with both upright sitting and supine inflight). During +2 Gz, CVP was 2.8 +/- 1.4 mmHg and only significantly lower than CVP during weightlessness (P less than 0.05). HR increased from 65 +/- 7 beats/min at supine and 70 +/- 5 beats/min during upright sitting to 79 +/- 7 beats/min (P less than 0.01 compared with supine) during weightlessness and to 80 +/- 6 beats/min (P less than 0.01 compared with upright sitting and P less than 0.001 compared with supine) during +2 Gz. We conclude that the immediate onset of weightlessness induces a significant increase in CVP, not only compared with the upright sitting position but also compared with the supine position at 1 G.

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