Search
desmopressin stimulation test
Indications:
- suspected diabetes insipidus (DI)
- when urine does NOT concentrate in water deprivation test
Procedure:
- measure urine osmolality
- inject 5 units (1 ug) of subcutaneous (SC) or intravenous (IV) desopressin
- measure urine osmolality every 30 minutes for 2 hours after administrationof desopressin
Interpretation:
1) an increased urine osmolality indicates central DI (urine osmolality more than doubles with central DI)
2) a lack of response indicates nephrogenic DI
3) patients with primary polydipsia may show response similar to nephrogenic DI due to washout of the medullary concentration gradient
General
provocative clinical test
References
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, 14, 17.
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998, 2006, 2015