Blood volume changes

Analysis of radionuclide volume determinations made for the crewmembers of selected Gemini and Apollo missions showed that orbital spaceflight has an effect on red cell mass. Because the methods and the protocol developed for earlier flights were used for the crews of the three Skylab missions, direct comparisons are possible. After each Skylab mission, decreases were found in crewmembers' red cell masses. The mean red cell mass decrease of 11 percent or 232 milliliters was approximately equal to the 10 percent mean red cell mass decrease of the Apollo 14 to 17 crewmembers. The red cell mass drop was greatest and the postrecovery reticulocyte response least for crewmembers of the 28-day Skylab 2 mission. Analyses of data from the red cell mass determinations indicate that the red cell mass drops occurred in the first 30 days of flight and that a gradual recovery of the red cell mass deficits began approximately 60 days after launch. The beginning of red cell mass regeneration during the Skylab 4 flight may explain the higher postmission reticulocyte counts.