Diabetes insipidus in children with brain death

Central diabetes insipidus (DI) occurs in patients suffering from overwhelming CNS injuries leading to brain death. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of DI in children with brain death. The medical records of 34 patients with a diagnosis of brain death were reviewed. Diuresis was present in 76% of patients; however, DI was only present in 38% of patients. On autopsy, the pituitary gland in six patients revealed varying degrees of edema, congestion, hemorrhage, and coagulative necrosis. We concluded that DI is present in many, but not all, patients who experience brain death and therefore, cannot be relied on solely as a marker of brain death.