Functional activity of the liver in immersion and effects of the countermeasures

• Published in: Aviakosmicheskaia i Äkologicheskaia meditsina Vol. 48; no. 2; p. 16
• Main Authors: Solov'eva, A A, Sedova, E A, Tomilovskaia, E S, Shigueva, T A, Afonin, B V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 2014
• Subjects: Acetamides - metabolism; Adult; Bilirubin - blood; Blood Flow Velocity; Blood Vessels - diagnostic imaging; Breath Tests; C-Peptide - blood; Carbon Isotopes; Duodenum - diagnostic imaging; Electric Stimulation; Humans; Immersion; Insulin - blood; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver - metabolism; Male; Pancreatic alpha-Amylases - blood; Pepsinogen A - blood; Space Simulation; Stomach - diagnostic imaging; Ultrasonography; Weight-Bearing - physiology
• ISSN: 0233-528X

Two groups of male volunteers for 4-day dry immersion with and w/o countermeasures (support load imitator (SLI) or high-frequency electrostimulator) underwent ultrasonic investigation (USI) of the liver, gastroduodenal organs and vessels, and blood biochemical analysis. Two other groups of volunteers performed the 13C-methacetin breath test (13C-MBT) to study the effects of immersion and SLI on the liver detox activity and metabolic capacity. In immersion, USI diagnosed slowdown of blood flow along the hepatic vein and signs of plethora in the abdominal venous system. In addition, immersion was accompanied by increases in blood pepsinogen, pancreatic amylase, total bilirubin, the "indirect" fraction specifically, insulin and C-peptide. 13C-MBT detected deceleration of 13C-methacetin inactivation and diminution of the liver metabolic capacity. Administration of the countermeasures did not improve the ultrasonic image of hemodynamic alterations in the liver and abdomen significantly. High-frequency electrostimulation cancelled out changes in all biochemical parameters except C-peptide; SLI was favorable to recovery of pepsinogen and amylase baseline values only. Besides, the SLI wearing prevented loss of the 13C-methacetin inactivation rate but was not effective enough against diminution of the hepatic metabolic capacity.