Accession Number:

AD0647620

Title:

SEASONAL CHANGES AMONG ENDOCRINE-METABOLIC INDICES OF MEN RESIDING IN A SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE.

Descriptive Note:

Final rept., Jan 61-Oct 66,

Corporate Author:

SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE BROOKS AFB TEX

Report Date:

1966-12-01

Pagination or Media Count:

21.0

Abstract:

By means of urinalysis, seasonal changes in endocrine-metabolic activities were appraised in healthy men who, because of indoor occupations, had limited exposure to outdoor conditions. The study was conducted in San Antonio, Tex., where the subtropical climate allows outdoor activity in all seasons. Overnight urine specimens, which were collected once each week for a full year from 12 men, were analyzed for epinephrine, norepinephrine, 17-hydroxycorticosteroids, creatinine, urea, uric acid, phosphate, potassium, and sodium and all of these urinary variables showed clear-cut cyclic shifting over the four seasons. In general, these endocrine-metabolic indices indicated inverse relationship to outdoor maximum temperature and covariance analyses with outdoor maximum temperature as the covariate provided supporting evidence, indicating significant interrelationship for urinary variables and outdoor temperature. The urinary changes tended to lag behind the thermal changes, thereby indicating that temperature was not the sole factor involved. Heat-sensitivity, judging by these measures, was higher in spring than in summer. By expressing certain of the urinary constituents to creatinine, it is possible to correct for summer-winter differences but not for spring-autumn differences. Author

Subject Categories:

  • Anatomy and Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE