Blood and Plasma Specific Gravity Changes During Acute Alterations in Hemodynamics in Splenectomized Dogs

A variety of procedures were used to change hemodynamics acutely and thereby to produce changes in blood volume. Changes in plasma specific gravity showed no relation to those in aortic pressure or total peripheral resistance, but were related to central venous pressure. The simultaneous cell fraction tended to vary reciprocally with the plasma specific gravity, indicating a bulk transfer of either red cells or of plasma between the large blood vessels and peripheral beds.