pubmed-article:10082781 | pubmed:abstractText | The volume of human extracellular water (ECW) may be estimated from the sulfate space (SS). Although it may better approximate ECW volume than the bromide space, a common alternative, SS measurement is limited by the need to administer a radioactive substance, sodium [35S]sulfate. In this paper, we demonstrate the measurement of the SS using the stable isotope, sodium [34S]sulfate. Eight healthy nonobese men ingested 0.50-0.78 mg (3.47-5.42 micromol) Na234SO4/kg body weight and 30 mg NaBr/kg body weight. Sulfate concentrations and 34SO4 enrichments were measured by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry before and during the 5 h after tracer administration. SS was calculated by linear extrapolation of the natural logarithm of serum 34SO4 concentrations obtained at h 2, 3 and 4 compared with h 3, 4 and 5. The SS obtained using values between h 3 and 5 (187 +/- 17 mL/kg) was similar to published determinations using intravenous or oral radiosulfate, and was 80% of the simultaneously measured corrected bromide space (234 +/- 10 mL/kg, P = 0.01). Oral sodium [34S]sulfate administration is a suitable technique for measuring ECW and avoids radiation exposure. | lld:pubmed |