[Inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone: true and false Schwartz-Bartter syndrome. Apropos of 2 cases]

The authors report two cases and consider the various physiopathological mechanisms of inappropriate hypersecretion of antidiuretic hormone. An exploration including clearance of free water and, in some cases, estimation of ADH before and after a water load, then before and after administration of ethyl alcohol, permits one to determine the mechanism. It seems advisable to reserve the term Schwartz-Bartter syndrome to paraneoplasic syndromes linked to ectopic and autonomous secretion of ADH.