The plasma and CSF vasopressin levels in brain tumors with brain edema

Vasopressin (VP) levels were evaluated by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in the arterial (A), peripheral (Vp) and jugular (Vj) vein blood and in CSF in 102 patients with brain tumors. In 60 cases the patients' state was complicated by brain edema (BE) and hemodynamic disturbances (HDD). The obtained data revealed significantly higher VP levels: 1) in A, Vp and CSF in patients with BE (Group A) in comparison with patients without BE (Group B), 2) in Vj in patients with HDD only (Group Bc) and 3) in Vp in patients with HDD and BE (Group Ac) in comparison with Group Bc (p < 0.05). There were marked extremely high VP levels in Vj in patients with severe haemorrhage, tachycardia and high blood pressure (BP) and in CSF in patients with tachycardia, high BP and cardiac arrest (p < 0.05 correspondingly in each of the cases). Our results on a clinical basis confirmed CSF VP influence on BE development. We also confirmed the neurohumoral (through blood) and neurotransmitter (possibly through CSF and/or vasopressinergic pathways) VP influences on cardiovascular regulation mechanisms. We content that this is a pathogenetic basis for application of VP direct or indirect antagonists for preventing and treating brain edema in neurosurgical patients.