Effect of cold water immersion and its combination with alcohol intoxication on urine flow rate of man

Abstract

Urine flow rate was determined for man before and after immersion in either thermoneutral (33 degrees C) or cold (10 degrees C) water. The effect of alcohol intoxication of a level of approximately 80 mg dL-1 was also evaluated for the cold water immersion. Immersion and cold were additive in their effect, resulting in a mean urine flow rate of 4.25 mL min-1, approximately 3.5 times the preimmersion level. Alcohol intoxication in conjunction with cold water immersion caused a further large increase in urine flow to 8.03 mL min-1. These results permit better evaluation of the importance of volume diuresis as it relates to the reduction of insulative performance of dry-type immersion suits for cold water survival, and to the possible enhancement of "rewarming shock" during therapy for hypothermia victims. The increased urine production observed when alcohol treatment was added to cold immersion provides information for speculation on mechanisms of volume diuresis.