Peroral treatment of diabetes insipidus with a polypeptide hormone analog, desmopressin.

In the present study nine diabetes insipidus patients were treated with desmopressin (DDAVP) tablets. All patients had a significant reduction of their polyuria after a peroral dose of 50 micrograms DDAVP. During a 6-day trial, a peroral treatment with two or three daily peroral doses of DDAVP controlled their polyuria. A dose-response study in five of the patients indicated that peroral DDAVP doses as small as 10 micrograms have effects on renal concentrating ability. A log-linear relationship was found between DDAVP doses and maximal urine osmolalities and duration of antidiuresis. Measurements of plasma DDAVP concentrations after peroral DDAVP revealed a linear relationship between amounts of DDAVP absorbed and dose, but with great interindividual differences. The results indicate that graded renal response occur at plasma concentrations of DDAVP between 1 and 5 pg/ml. The results of this study and the assessment by the patients of the treatment indicate that peroral therapy with DDAVP may be an attractive alternative to traditional intranasal administration of the drug.