The Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. Variable reaction to 1-desamino-8D-arginine vasopressin for correction of the bleeding time.

The effect of the synthetic vasopressin derivative 1-desamino-8D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP = Minrin) on bleeding time was studied in nine patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome; four of them were Dutch, five were Belgian. Shortening of bleeding time was observed in four of the patients with this type of storage pool disease; in one patient the response was equivocal, in two patients the response was not dramatic and in two there was no response at all. DDAVP may be useful in managing the bleeding disorder in some patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. Therefore, every patient with this syndrome should be tested with DDAVP as a preventive measure.