Evaluating a standardized protocol for the management of diabetes insipidus in pediatric neurosurgical patients.

OBJECTIVES: Central diabetes insipidus (DI) is a known complication following surgical resection of a suprasellar mass. There are limited data analyzing the outcomes of a standardized protocol for the management of postoperative DI in the pediatric population. We sought to fill this gap and hypothesized that utilizing a standardized protocol for fluid management (3-bag system) would reduce serum sodium fluctuations in the postoperative period after suprasellar surgery. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed. Patients were identified with the following criteria: age ≤ 18 years, undergoing a surgical procedure for suprasellar mass that also had postoperative DI. The primary outcome was the variability in serum sodium during the first 48 h and between 48 and 120 h postoperatively. RESULTS: There were 21 encounters pre-protocol and 22 encounters post-protocol for neurosurgical procedures. Use of the standardized protocol was associated with a lower range of sodium within 48 h postoperatively (p=0.065) and 83% lower odds of hypernatremia (Na>150 mmol/L) within 48 h postoperatively (CI 0.039-0.714) after controlling for age, gender, and prior DI diagnosis. History of DI conferred a lower risk of hypernatremia as well as less sodium fluctuation within 48 h postoperatively. Younger patients, those <9.7 years of age were associated with increased risk of hyponatremia and greater sodium fluctuations during the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with postoperative DI after suprasellar surgery, using a standardized protocol for fluid management (3-bag system) appears to reduce serum sodium variability in the first 48 h after surgery.

Role of copeptin in the diagnosis of traumatic neuroendocrine dysfunction.

Traumatic neuroendocrine dysfunction may present with diabetes insipidus (DI) or with the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). Both these pathologies involve a disturbance in the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion, causing dysnatremias. Diagnosis of posttraumatic ADH dysfunction is hampered by technical difficulties in ADH assessment, and relies mostly on non-specific serum sodium, serum and urine osmolality and diuresis, often leading to misdiagnosis in the acute care setting. Research now focuses on the diagnostic role of copeptin, a peptide secreted together with ADH in an equimolar fashion, and which can be accurately evaluated. Recent studies identified cut-off values of 2.6 pmol/L for baseline copeptin and of 4.9 and 3.8 pmol/L for hypertonic saline infusion and arginine infusion stimulated copeptin, respectively, for the diagnosis of DI in patients with polyuria-polydipsia syndrome. Although SIADH is more difficult to be explored due to its heterogeneity, a ratio of copeptin to urinary sodium below 30 pmol/mmol identifies euvolemic hyponatremia. Exploring the role of copeptin assessment in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the acute phase may improve their diagnosis accuracy, management and outcome.

Pregnancy-associated diabetes insipidus in Japan-a review based on quoting from the literatures reported during the period from 1982 to 2019.

This Review Article overviews the literature on diabetes insipidus (DI) associated with pregnancy and labor in Japan published from 1982 to 2019. The total number of patients collected was 361, however, only one-third of these cases had detailed pathophysiologic information enabling us to identify the respective etiology and subtype. Pregnancy-associated DI can be divided into 3 etiologies, central (neurogenic) DI, nephrogenic DI, and excess vasopressinase-associated DI. Neurogenic DI has various causes: for example, DI associated with tumoral lesions in the pituitary and neighboring area, DI associated with Sheehan's syndrome and/or pituitary apoplexy, and DI associated with lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis (LINH, stalkitis). Nephrogenic DI results from defective response of the kidney to normal levels of vasopressin. However, the most interesting causal factor of pregnancy-associated DI is excess vasopressinase, caused either by excess production of vasopressinase by the placenta or defective clearance of vasopressinase by the liver. Hepatic complications resulting in pregnancy-associated DI include acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) and HELLP syndrome (syndrome of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets), as well as pre-existing or co-incidental hepatic diseases. A possible role of glucose uptake in putative stress-induced DI and the importance of correct diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-associated DI, including use of 1-deamino 8-D arginine vasopressin, are also discussed.

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of diabetes insipidus: Update.

The two main differential diagnoses of central diabetes insipidus are nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and primary polydipsia. Reliable distinction between those entities is essential as treatment differs substantially with the wrong treatment potentially leading to serious complications. Past diagnostic measures using the indirect water deprivation test had several pitfalls, resulting in a low diagnostic accuracy. With the introduction of copeptin, a stable and reliable surrogate marker for arginine vasopressin, diagnosis of diabetes insipidus was new evaluated. While unstimulated basal copeptin measurement reliably diagnoses nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, a stimulation test is needed to differentiate patients with central diabetes insipidus from patients with primary polydipsia. Stimulation can either be achieved through hypertonic saline infusion or arginine infusion. While the former showed high diagnostic accuracy and superiority over the indirect water deprivation test in a recent validation study, the diagnostic accuracy for arginine-stimulated copeptin was slightly lower, but superior in test tolerance. In summary of the recent findings, a new copeptin based diagnostic algorithm is proposed for the reliable diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.

The challenges of sodium measurements: indirect versus direct ion-selective method.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis and treatment of dysnatremia is challenging and further complicated by the pitfalls of different sodium measurement methods. Routinely used sodium measurements are the indirect (plasma/serum) and direct (whole blood) ion-selective electrode (ISE) method, showing discrepant results especially in the setting of acute illness. Few clinicians are aware of the differences between the methods in clinically stable patients or healthy volunteers. METHODS: Data of 140 patients and 91 healthy volunteers undergoing osmotic stimulation with hypertonic saline infusion were analyzed. Sodium levels were measured simultaneously by indirect and direct ISE method before and at different time points during osmotic stimulation up to a sodium threshold of ≥150 mmol/L. The primary outcome was the difference in sodium levels between the indirect and direct ISE method. RESULTS: 878 sodium measurements were analyzed. Mean (s.d.) sodium levels ranged from 141 mmol/L (2.9) to 151 mmol/L (2.1) by the indirect ISE compared to 140 mmol/L (3) to 149 mmol/L (2.8) by the direct ISE method. The interclass correlation coefficient between the two methods was 0.844 (95% CI: 0.823-0.863). On average, measurements by the indirect ISE were 1.9 mmol/L (95% CI limits: -3.2 to 6.9) higher than those by the direct ISE method (P < 0.001). The tendency of the indirect ISE method resulting in higher levels increased with increasing sodium levels. CONCLUSION: Intra-individual sodium levels differ significantly between the indirect and direct ISE method also in the absence of acute illness. It is therefore crucial to adhere to the same method in critical situations to avoid false decisions due to measurement differences.

Copeptin and its role in the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis.

Copeptin is secreted in an equimolar amount to arginine vasopressin (AVP) but can easily be measured in plasma or serum with a sandwich immunoassay. The main stimuli for copeptin are similar to AVP, that is an increase in osmolality and a decrease in arterial blood volume and pressure. A high correlation between copeptin and AVP has been shown. Accordingly, copeptin mirrors the amount of AVP in the circulation. Copeptin has, therefore, been evaluated as diagnostic biomarker in vasopressin-dependent disorders of body fluid homeostasis. Disorders of body fluid homeostasis are common and can be divided into hyper- and hypoosmolar circumstances: the classical hyperosmolar disorder is diabetes insipidus, while the most common hypoosmolar disorder is the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD). Copeptin measurement has led to a "revival" of the direct test in the differential diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. Baseline copeptin levels, without prior thirsting, unequivocally identify patients with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. In contrast, for the difficult differentiation between central diabetes insipidus and primary polydipsia, a stimulated copeptin level of 4.9 pmol/L upon hypertonic saline infusion differentiates these two entities with a high diagnostic accuracy and is clearly superior to the classical water deprivation test. On the contrary, in the SIAD, copeptin measurement is of only little diagnostic value. Copeptin levels widely overlap in patients with hyponatraemia and emphasize the heterogeneity of the disease. Additionally, a variety of factors lead to unspecific copeptin elevations in the acute setting further complicating its interpretation. The broad use of copeptin as diagnostic marker in hyponatraemia and specifically to detect cancer-related disease in SIADH patients can, therefore, not be recommended.

Low Plasma Oxytocin Levels and Increased Psychopathology in Hypopituitary Men With Diabetes Insipidus.

CONTEXT: Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin share anatomical pathways of synthesis and secretion, and patients with central diabetes insipidus (CDI) presumably are at risk for OT deficiency. However, an OT-deficient state in hypopituitary patients has not been established. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that men with CDI compared to patients with similar anterior pituitary deficiencies (APD) but no CDI and healthy controls (HC) of similar age and body mass index, would have lower plasma OT levels, associated with increased psychopathology. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Clinical research center. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two men (20 CDI, 20 APD, 22 HC), age 18 to 60 years. INTERVENTIONS: Frequent sampling of blood every 5 minutes for OT over 1 hour and validated questionnaires to assess psychopathology. MAIN OUTCOMES: Pooled plasma OT levels; depressive, anxiety, and alexithymia symptoms; and quality of life. RESULTS: The mean 1-hour pool of fasting OT levels was lower in CDI compared with APD and HC (P = 0.02 and P = 0.009, respectively), with no differences between APD and HC (P = 0.78). Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and alexithymia were more pronounced in CDI than in HC (P = 0.001, P = 0.004, and P = 0.02, respectively). Although CDI and APD reported worse physical health compared with HC (P = 0.001 and P = 0.005) with no differences between APD and CDI, only CDI reported worse mental health compared with HC (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated low plasma OT levels and increased psychopathology in hypopituitary men with CDI, suggestive of a possible OT-deficient state. Larger studies of both sexes are required to confirm these findings and clinically characterize hypopituitary patients with OT deficiency.

Oxytocin alterations and neurocognitive domains in patients with hypopituitarism.

PURPOSE: Oxytocin is a hypothalamus derived, posterior pituitary stored nonapeptide which has gained recent interest as an important neuropsychiatric and metabolic hormone beyond its classic role in lactation and parturition. Hypopituitarism is a heterogenous disorder of derangement in one or more anterior or posterior pituitary hormones. Diagnosis of deficiency and hormone replacement exists to address all relevant axes except for oxytocin. Our study aims to define derangements in oxytocin in a unique population of patients with hypopituitarism and correlate levels with measures of emotional health and quality of life. METHODS: A cross-sectional, single day study was completed to measure plasma oxytocin levels in a diverse population of patients with hypopituitarism compared to controls. Subjects also completed depression, quality of life and stress-related questionnaires, and emotion recognition tasks. RESULTS: Thirty-eight subjects completed the study, 18 with hypopituitarism (9 with diabetes insipidus) and 20 controls. After controlling for differences in age, weight and gender, plasma oxytocin levels were highest in subjects with diabetes insipidus compared to control [mean, IQR: 44.3 pg/ml (29.8-78.2) vs. 20.6 (17-31.3), p = 0.032]. Amongst hypopituitary subjects, those with duration of disease greater than 1 year had higher oxytocin levels. No significant differences were observed for psychosocial measures including emotion recognition tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma oxytocin levels were found higher in patients with hypopituitarism compared to controls and highest in those with diabetes insipidus. Longer duration of hypopituitarism was also associated with higher plasma levels of oxytocin. Further study is needed to better define oxytocin deficiency and investigate response to treatment.

A Copeptin-Based Approach in the Diagnosis of Diabetes Insipidus.

BACKGROUND: The indirect water-deprivation test is the current reference standard for the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. However, it is technically cumbersome to administer, and the results are often inaccurate. The current study compared the indirect water-deprivation test with direct detection of plasma copeptin, a precursor-derived surrogate of arginine vasopressin. METHODS: From 2013 to 2017, we recruited 156 patients with hypotonic polyuria at 11 medical centers to undergo both water-deprivation and hypertonic saline infusion tests. In the latter test, plasma copeptin was measured when the plasma sodium level had increased to at least 150 mmol per liter after infusion of hypertonic saline. The primary outcome was the overall diagnostic accuracy of each test as compared with the final reference diagnosis, which was determined on the basis of medical history, test results, and treatment response, with copeptin levels masked. RESULTS: A total of 144 patients underwent both tests. The final diagnosis was primary polydipsia in 82 patients (57%), central diabetes insipidus in 59 (41%), and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in 3 (2%). Overall, among the 141 patients included in the analysis, the indirect water-deprivation test determined the correct diagnosis in 108 patients (diagnostic accuracy, 76.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 68.9 to 83.2), and the hypertonic saline infusion test (with a copeptin cutoff level of >4.9 pmol per liter) determined the correct diagnosis in 136 patients (96.5%; 95% CI, 92.1 to 98.6; P<0.001). The indirect water-deprivation test correctly distinguished primary polydipsia from partial central diabetes insipidus in 77 of 105 patients (73.3%; 95% CI, 63.9 to 81.2), and the hypertonic saline infusion test distinguished between the two conditions in 99 of 104 patients (95.2%; 95% CI, 89.4 to 98.1; adjusted P<0.001). One serious adverse event (desmopressin-induced hyponatremia that resulted in hospitalization) occurred during the water-deprivation test. CONCLUSIONS: The direct measurement of hypertonic saline-stimulated plasma copeptin had greater diagnostic accuracy than the water-deprivation test in patients with hypotonic polyuria. (Funded by the Swiss National Foundation and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01940614 .).

Rapid differential diagnosis of diabetes insipidus in a 7-month-old infant: The copeptin approach.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes insipidus is characterized by hypoosmotic polyuria related to deficiency of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) secretion (central diabetes insipidus, CDI) or renal insensitivity to AVP (nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, NDI). The water deprivation test with assessment of AVP activity is currently the gold standard for differential diagnosis in patients presenting polyuria-polydipsia syndrome. Nevertheless, it can be dangerous without proper surveillance and its interpretation may be challenging. Other markers have been suggested. Direct quantification of circulating AVP is not sufficient for diagnosis: vasopressin is unstable, analysis is complex. AVP comes from prohormone preprovasopressin with concomitant release of copeptin (C-terminal moiety) in the equimolar ratio. Copeptin is stable in vitro, with easy and rapid measurement (<4h). Past studies have shown greater sensitivity and specificity of copeptin versus AVP to discriminate etiologies of polyuria in adults, but its value has not been demonstrated in infants yet. OBSERVATION: A 7-month-old infant presented polyuria-polydipsia syndrome with poor weight gain. Laboratory tests pointed out hypernatremia (170mmol/L) and blood hyperosmolarity (330mOsm/L) with inappropriate urinary hypoosmolarity (168mOsm/L). Plasmatic copeptin measurement was found at a very high level, 303pmol/L (1-14pmol/L). DdAVP administration did not improve the polyuria, confirming the final diagnosis of NDI. Hyperhydration with a hypoosmolar diet normalized the hydration status and circulating levels of copeptin within 1 week. CONCLUSION: Copeptin, a stable peptide reflecting AVP secretion, could be a safer and faster biomarker for etiological diagnosis of polyuria-polydipsia syndrome in children. Before regularization of hydration status, a single baseline measurement may be enough to discriminate NDI from other etiologies without the water deprivation test.

Diabetes insipidus is an unfavorable prognostic factor for response to glucocorticoids in patients with autoimmune hypophysitis.

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune hypophysitis (AH) has a variable clinical presentation and natural history; likewise, its response to glucocorticoid therapy is often unpredictable. OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical and radiological findings associated with response to glucocorticoids. DESIGN AND METHODS: 12 consecutive patients with AH, evaluated from 2008 to 2016. AH was the exclusion diagnosis after ruling out other pituitary masses and secondary causes of hypophysitis. Mean follow-up time was 30 ± 27 months (range 12-96 months). RESULTS: MRI identified two main patterns of presentation: global enlargement of the pituitary gland or panhypophysitis (n = 4, PH), and pituitary stalk abnormality only, or infundibulo-neuro-hypophysitis (n = 8, INH). Multiple tropin defects were more common in PH (100%) than those in INH (28% P = 0.014), whereas diabetes insipidus was more common in INH (100%) than that in PH (50%; P = 0.028). All 4 PH and 4 out of 8 INH were treated with glucocorticoids. Pituitary volume significantly reduced in all PH patients (P = 0.012), defective anterior pituitary function recovered only in the two patients without diabetes insipidus (50%) and panhypopituitarism persisted, along with diabetes insipidus, in the remaining 2 (50%). In all INH patients, either treated or untreated, pituitary stalk diameter reduced (P = 0.008) but diabetes insipidus persisted in all. CONCLUSIONS: Glucocorticoid therapy may improve anterior pituitary function in a subset of patients but has no effect on restoring posterior pituitary function. Diabetes insipidus appears as a negative prognostic factor for response to glucocorticoids.

Diagnostic value of the water deprivation test in the polyuria-polydipsia syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes insipidus (DI) and primary polydipsia (PP) are characterised by polyuria and polydipsia. It is crucial to differentiate between these two disorders since the treatment is different. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the short and an extended variant of the water deprivation test (WDT) and of measuring urinary vasopressin (AVP) in patients with polyuria and polydipsia. DESIGN: A retrospective, single-centre study based on WDTs performed between 2004 and 2014 including 104 consecutive patients with the polyuria-polydipsia syndrome. During a strict water deprivation, weight, urinary osmolality, urinary vasopressin and specific gravity were collected until one of the following was reached: i) >3% weight reduction, ii) Urinary specific gravity >1.020 or, urinary osmolality >800 mOsm/L, iii) Intolerable adverse symptoms such as excessive thirst. RESULTS: Out of 104 patients (67 women, 37 men), 21 (20%) were diagnosed with DI and 83 (80%) with PP. The median (interquartile range; range) test duration was 14 hours (10-16; 3-36) in patients with DI and 18 hours (14-24; 7-48) in patients with PP (P=0.011). Of those diagnosed with PP, 22 (26%) did not reach urinary specific gravity >1.020 nor urine osmolality >800 mOsm/L. Urine AVP did not overlap between patients with PP and patients with central DI. CONCLUSIONS: The short WDT is of limited value in the diagnostic work-up of polydipsia and polyuria and a partial DI may have been missed in every fourth patient diagnosed with PP. Urinary AVP has excellent potential in discriminating PP from central DI.

Predictor Variables of Developing Anterior Pituitary Deficiencies in a Group of Paediatric Patients with Central Diabetes Insipidus and Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.

BACKGROUND: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare histiocytic disorder of unknown etiopathogenesis. Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is the most frequent endocrine manifestation and is a known risk factor for the development of further anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies (APD). However, not all CDI patients develop APD, as observed during prolonged periods of follow-up. AIM: To find predictors of developing APD in LCH children with CDI followed in our institution. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 44 patients over a median period (quartiles) of 12.3 years (8.79-14.24). Patients were subdivided into group 1 and group 2, according to absence or presence of APD, respectively. The main variables studied were: (1) chronological age (CA) at LCH diagnosis, (2) the primary site of LCH at diagnosis: low risk (LR) and multisystemic risk organs, and (3) the presence of reactivation. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that APD was positively associated with CA at LCH diagnosis [relative risk (RR) 1.14, p < 0.01], the LR clinical form (RR 8.6, p < 0.03), and negatively associated with the presence of reactivations (RR 0.3, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with older CA at LCH diagnosis, LR clinical forms, and fewer reactivation episodes might represent a subgroup of paediatric LCH CDI patients with a higher risk of developing APD.

Critical review of IgG4-related hypophysitis.

PURPOSE: IgG4-related hypophysitis is a rare disease, with only 34 cases published in English (2015). Available short reviews may not present complete details of IgG4-related hypophysitis. We aimed to survey case reports of IgG4-related hypophysitis, including abstracts of scientific meetings, in English and Japanese. METHODS: We searched for information about IgG4-related hypophysitis in PubMed and Igakuchuozasshi (Japan Medical Abstracts Society). Among 104 case reports found, we reviewed 84 fulfilling Leporati's diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: The mean ±  SD age of onset was 64.2  ±  13.9, 67.5  ±  9.8, and 56.4  ±  18.6 years for all subjects, men, and women, respectively. Men:women was 2.4:1. On magnetic resonance imaging, pituitary, stalk, and pituitary-stalk mass were observed at frequencies of 14.3, 21.4, and 64.3%, respectively. Manifestations were anterior hypopituitarism in 26.2% (22 cases), central diabetes insipidus in 17.9% (15 cases), and panhypopituitarism in 52.4% (44 cases). The median level of serum IgG4 was 264.5 mg/dL for all subjects, 405 mg/dL for men, and 226 mg/dL for women. The mean number of IgG4-related systemic diseases was 2.7  ±  1.5 in all subjects, 3.0  ±  1.5 in men, and 1.8  ±  1.1 in women. Among the IgG4-related diseases, retroperitoneal fibrosis was the most frequent (26.2%), followed by salivary gland diseases (25%). Glucocorticoid therapy was generally effective, except for two cases that received replacement doses. There were significant differences between sexes in terms of age, serum IgG4 levels, and number of IgG4-related diseases. CONCLUSION: IgG4-related hypophysitis may have different clinical characteristics between genders. This survey may lack some information because the Japanese abstracts did not contain certain details.

Delayed recovery of adipsic diabetes insipidus (ADI) caused by elective clipping of anterior communicating artery and left middle cerebral artery aneurysms.

Adipsic diabetes insipidus (ADI) is an extremely rare complication following microsurgical clipping of anterior communicating artery aneurysm (ACoA) and left middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm. It poses a significant challenge to manage due to an absent thirst response and the co-existence of cognitive impairment in our patient. Recovery from adipsic DI has hitherto been reported only once. A 52-year-old man with previous history of clipping of left posterior communicating artery aneurysm 20 years prior underwent microsurgical clipping of ACoA and left MCA aneurysms without any intraoperative complications. Shortly after surgery, he developed clear features of ADI with adipsic severe hypernatraemia and hypotonic polyuria, which was associated with cognitive impairment that was confirmed with biochemical investigations and cognitive assessments. He was treated with DDAVP along with a strict intake of oral fluids at scheduled times to maintain eunatremia. Repeat assessment at six months showed recovery of thirst and a normal water deprivation test. Management of ADI with cognitive impairment is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Recovery from ADI is very rare, and this is only the second report of recovery in this particular clinical setting.

Potential Clinical Utility of Copeptin (C-terminal provasopressin) measurements in clinical medicine.

Copeptin is a 39-amino-acids containing glycosylated peptide derived from the C-terminal part of the arginine vasopressin (AVP) precursor. In the process of proteolysis the AVP precursor is processed to AVP, neurophysin II, and copeptin in equimolar amounts. In contrast to AVP, copeptin remains stable for several days at room temperature in serum or plasma. Hence, copeptin serves as a bona fide biomarker of AVP release. We briefly summarise clinical utility of copeptin in the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. We also discuss potential applications of copeptin measurements in hyponatraemic states, assessment of an anterior pituitary function, as well as a wide range of several acute and chronic medical conditions, such as myocardial infarction, stroke or diabetes mellitus.

Plasma Apelin Concentrations in Patients With Polyuria-Polydipsia Syndrome.

CONTEXT: Apelin and arginine vasopressin are antagonists in the regulation of body fluid and osmotic homeostasis. There are no data about apelin levels in patients with polyuria-polydipsia syndrome (PPS). OBJECTIVE: To investigate plasma apelin levels and plasma apelin to copeptin ratios in patients with PPS and healthy volunteers using copeptin as a surrogate marker for arginine vasopressin. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS, AND SETTING: We included 41 patients with PPS in this post hoc analysis of a prospective study performed in tertiary care hospitals in Switzerland and Germany and 113 healthy volunteers as a control group. OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma apelin and copeptin levels were measured in 15 patients with complete central diabetes insipidus (DI), seven patients with complete nephrogenic DI, 19 patients with primary polydipsia (PP), and 113 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Plasma apelin levels were highest in patients with complete nephrogenic DI (413 pmol/L; interquartile range, 332-504 pmol/L; P = .01) and lower in patients with PP (190 [172-215] pmol/L; P < .001) or complete central DI (209 [174-241] pmol/L; P = .02) as compared to healthy volunteers (254 [225-311] pmol/L). Plasma apelin to copeptin ratio in patients with PP (53 [38-92] pmol/pmol; P > .9) was similar to healthy volunteers (57 [37-102] pmol/pmol). In contrast, the apelin to copeptin ratio was higher in patients with complete central DI (89 [73-135] pmol/pmol; P = .02) and lower in patients with complete nephrogenic DI (7 [6-10] pmol/pmol; P < .001) compared to healthy volunteers. CONCLUSION: In PP, normal plasma apelin to copeptin ratio attests a normal water homeostasis. In contrast, in patients with central or nephrogenic DI, the increased or decreased apelin to copeptin ratio, respectively, reflects a disturbed osmotic and body fluid homeostasis.

Abnormal plasma sodium concentrations in patients treated with desmopressin for cranial diabetes insipidus: results of a long-term retrospective study.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with cranial diabetes insipidus (CDI) are at risk of developing both hypernatraemia and hyponatraemia, due to the condition itself or secondary to treatment with vasopressin-analogues or during administration of i.v. fluids. We aimed to assess the frequency and impact of dysnatraemias in the inpatient (INPT) and outpatient (OPT) setting in desmopressin-treated CDI, comparing those with normal thirst with those with abnormal thirst. DESIGN: The study included 192 patients with cranial diabetes, who were identified from the Beaumont Pituitary Database, a tertiary referral centre. Retrospective case note audit was performed and the clinical and biochemical information of 147 patients with CDI were available for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 4142 plasma sodium measurements for 137 patients with normal thirst, and 385 plasma sodium measurements for ten patients with abnormal thirst were analysed. In those with normal thirst, the most common OPT abnormality was mild hyponatraemia (pNa(+) 131-134  mmol/l) in 27%, while 14.6% had more significant hyponatraemia (pNa(+) ≤130  mmol/l). Of those patients with normal thirst, 5.8% were admitted due to complications directly related to hyponatraemia. Compared with patients with normal thirst, those with abnormal thirst were more likely to develop significant OPT hypernatraemia (20% vs 1.4%, P=0.02) and significant INPT hyponatraemia (50% vs 11.1%, P 0.02). CONCLUSION: OPT management of CDI is complicated by a significant incidence of hyponatraemia. In contrast, OPT hypernatraemia is almost exclusively a complication seen in adipsic CDI, who also had more frequent INPT hyponatraemia. CDI associated with thirst disorder requires increased physician attention and patient awareness of potential complications.