Vasopressin secretion during hyperglycemia in insulin-dependent diabetics.

Plasma levels of vasopressin (AVP) were measured in ten insulin-dependent diabetic patients before and during intravenous administration of hypertonic glucose. Plasma glucose and plasma osmolality increased from 12.4 +/- 1.2 to 47.0 +/- 2.3 mmol/l and from 293 +/- 2.0 to 307 +/- 2.8 mosm/kg respectively. Plasma vasopressin increased in parallel from 5.6 +/- 0.6 to 7.7 +/- 0.6 pg/ml. The present results demonstrate that hyperglycemia may be an effective stimulus for AVP secretion in insulin-deficient diabetics.