Impairment of osmotically stimulated AVP release in patients with primary polydipsia

The secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP) from the posterior pituitary is primarily and finely regulated by the osmolality of plasma. Even though a number of factors alter osmolality-induced release of AVP, there are no published data in humans that have addressed the role of chronic overhydration on this phenomenon. To address this problem we have identified eight patients with primary polydipsia using criteria not involving measurement of AVP, and have subjected them to standardized infusions of hypertonic saline. These patients had less AVP in both plasma and urine in relation to plasma osmolality than was found in normal subjects. In addition, their rate of rise of plasma and urine AVP was less than in normal subjects. Their osmotic threshold for AVP release may have been higher than normal. These data demonstrate that chronic overhydration in humans downregulates the release of AVP in response to hypertonicity. This phenomenon may explain the impairment of urine concentration in patients with primary polydipsia and emphasizes the basis of the difficulty that may occur clinically in differentiating between patients with primary polydipsia and partial central diabetes insipidus.