Neurohypophysial AVP concentration in stroke patients.

Neurohypophysial arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentrations were determined by RIA in 9 patients with cerebral infarction, 11 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, 5 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and 5 control subjects. The results showed that neurohypophysial AVP concentration in patients with cerebral infarction increased by 225.8% as compared with the control subjects (P < 0.05), and the AVP concentrations in patients with intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage did not change significantly. Brain herniation as a result of intracranial hypertension, gastrointestinal bleeding and hyperglycemia (two clinical manifestations of stress) was seen more frequently in hemorrhagic stroke patients than in ischemic stroke patients. These findings suggest that the ischemic brain damage may contribute to the elevation of neurohypophysial AVP concentration in patients with cerebral infarction.