"Sodium Space" and Body Sodium Content, Exchangeable with Sodium 21 , in Normal Individuals and Patients with Ascites

Tlie sodium space and body sodium content, exchangeable with sodium24 , were determined in 20 patients with ascites resulting from hepatic cirrhosis. Values were markedly increased over normal and roughly proportional to the degree of ascites estimated clinically. It appears that the expansion of the sodium space in cirrhosis with ascites represents the actual increase of body fluid due to the ascitic volume. No relationship was found between the serum sodium concentration and body sodium content. In the presence of ascites and/or edema, a deficiency of body sodium content cannot be inferred from a lowered sodium concentration in the serum.