Evaluation of the renin-angiotensin system in diabetes insipidus and psychogenic polydipsia

The role of the renin-angiotensin system in polyuric patients was studied in 5 patients with pituitary diabetes insipidus, 1 patient with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and 3 patients with psychogenic polydipsia by determining the plasma renin activity and infusing an angiotensin II analog, 1-Sar, 8-Ile angiotensin II. In all patients with diabetes insipidus, plasma renin activity was markedly increased and the blood pressure was reduced in 5 of 6 patients by the administration of the angiotensin II analog. In the other patient, the blood pressure remained unchanged. The plasma renin activity and response of blood pressure to the angiotensin II analog in a patient with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus were not significantly different from there of patients with pituitary diabetes insipidus. On the other hand, in all patients with psychogenic polydipsia, plasma renin activity was normal or low, and the blood pressure increased with the administration of the angiotensin II analog. These results suggest that evaluation of the renin-angiotensin system by determining plasma renin activity and infusing an angiotensin II analog is useful in differentiating between diabetes insipidus and psychogenic polydipsia.