A vasopressin analogue in treatment of diabetes insipidus

Abstract

Six children, 3 adolescents, and 3 adults with vasopressin-sensitive diabetes insipidus were treated with a vasopressin analogue, DDAVP (1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin), at a daily dose ranging from 5 to 20 μg administered twice a day intranasally. The period of follow-up of these patients has been from 3 months to 1 year. DDAVP was effective in maintaining normal diuresis and normal urine concentration during both day and night. No local or vasopressor side effects were observed. Compared to other antidiuretic drugs, such as nasal pitressin powder, lysine-vasopressin nasal spray, or pitressin tannate injections, used previously by the patients, DDAVP proved to be superior in the control of the diabetes insipidus and in the subjective feeling of the patients. It is concluded that DDAVP is the drug of choice in the treatment of vasopressin-sensitive diabetes insipidus.