[Growth in children with diabetes insipidus].

Commercial preparations of vasopressin for the treatment of diabetes insipidus are not available in Mexico. Besides, the hormone is useless in the nephrogenic variety. In the department of Endocrinology at the Hospital Infantil de Mexico, a preparation containing hydrochlorothiazide, aminopyrine and potassium chloride, which reduces urinary volumes in about two thirds, is employed in all varieties of the disease. Growth in stature was investigated in 44 patients under treatment, attending the Endocrine Outpatient Clinic since 1967 for a period of 2 to 12 years. Clinical material included 29 males and 15 females. There were 23 idiopathic, 7 histiocytosis, 5 nephrogenic, 4 craniopharyngiomas, 2 psychogenic polydipsia, 2 traumatic and 1, as a sequel of tuberculous meningoencephalitis. Six idiopathic, 2 nephrogenic, 2 traumatic, 1 histiocytosis, and 1 psychogenic proceeded between percentiles 3 and 97, parallel to the nearest line of reference along the whole period of study. Two nephrogenic, 2 histiocytosis, 1 psychogenic, 1 post-meningoencephalitis and 14 idiopathic, grew below the third percentile, but parallel to it. One nephrogenic, 4 histiocytosis, 4 craniopharyngioma and 3 idiopathic progressively departed from the initial centile. Two of the latter had growth hormone deficiency, and 1 had been very irregularly treated. It is concluded that the therapy employed limits stature impairment but does not produce catch-up growth. Accordingly, it is proposed that the treatment of diabetes insipidus should be started as early as possible, and that if progress in stature is appreciably deteriorated, the presence of additional pathology should be suspected.