Regulation of plasma arginine vasopressin in patients with chronic renal failure maintained on hemodialysis.

Plasma arginine vasopressin (PAVP) was studied in patients before and after hemodialysis. The levels of PAVP were higher before and reverted to normal range after dialysis (5.7 vs. 2.7 pg/ml). Sequential chemical dialysis showed that vasopressin was removed during the chemical dialysis phase. Data obtained during a simulation experiment were also consistent with the view that vasopressin was removed during the chemical dialysis phase.